Afghan schoolgirls poisoned for going to school

Schoolgirls, like the ones pictured, were poisoned in an anti-education attack in Afghanistan.

 In Afghanistan 150 girls from the same school  have been made seriously ill after drinking water that was deliberately poisoned.

150 schoolgirls from a school in Afghanistan have been taken to hospital after their water supply was poisoned.

The girls experienced vomiting and headaches after drinking the water and some were left in a critical condition.

School officials think that the water supply was poisoned by religious extremists who do not think that girls should be allowed to go to school.

"We are 100 percent sure that the water they drunk in their classes was poisoned," said education spokesperson said Jan Mohammad Nabizada. "This is either the work of those who are against girls' education or some other irresponsible armed individuals."

Girls were banned from attending school for six years under the Taliban's regime. Since the Taliban were overthrown in 2001 2.7million girls have enrolled in schools.

However, schoolgirls in some rural areas experience attacks and abuse walking to and from school.