Afghanistan: female students attacked with acid in Kandahar

Posted on by raquelevita
AP Photo / CNN
AP Photo / CNN

 “Kandahar is not safe. But we can’t stay at home, we want an education.” -Atifa, 16, acid attack victim – Kandahar, Afghanistan

Kandahar: this morning, two men sprayed a group of female students with acid – blinding at least two of them. It is unclear how many of the students were injured. Government spokesman Parwaz Ayoubi called the attackers “enemies of education”, suggesting that the insurgents who attacked the pupils were objecting to the education of females.

According to Al-Jazeera’s coverage of the incident, Latefeh – one of the injured students – says that this attack will not prevent her from pursuing her education or stop her from learning. The Afghan government reinforces their commitment to education, saying that attacks like these, by “unIslamic enemies of the country” will not prevent six million children from attending school.

Unfortunately, though, schoolrooms today were largely empty. Parents have held their children home for fear that they may be attacked – and children are afraid for their safety.

See BBC coverage here. (Also, Spanish speakers: check out coverage of this very blog entry here.)

To help:

* Learn about and support the work of Barakat.

* Check out some of the positive work being done by female educators and UNICEF.

* RAWA was founded by Afghan women for Afghan women. Educate yourself about their efforts here.

* Afghan-Network has a list of NGOs needing your help to support their work in Afghanistan, including Islamic Relief. Please click here to see this list and offer your support.

* Acid attacks are a pervasive problem. Learn about how women in Pakistan are fighting acid attacks, keeping their faith, and restoring hope.

* These attacks also happen in places like Vietnam, Cambodia, Colombia, the UK and the United States. Here is more coverage and some tips on what you can do to help.

8 thoughts on “Afghanistan: female students attacked with acid in Kandahar”

  2. This is horrific…I pray for the safety of all the Afghan children that want nothing more but to expand their ideas and receive an education…something that this country really takes for granted.

  3. At what cost even this day & time women pay for basic needs, what is the follow -up on the incident have the culprits/criminals identified for all the talk talk what’s been done

  6. This kind of nonsense gives Islam such a bad name! I wonder if some of the parents in Afganastan would consider home-schooling their daughters? Or engaging in private cooperative home schools to keep their daughters safe?

  7. I would first like to say that these actions are disgusting.

    We as Muslims must stand up against these backward Munafaquin who threaten the functioning of our society.

    Death is too good for these animals, they have made mischief in the land as for Sura 5 Ayat 33 nothing sort of torture will do.

    YUSUFALI: The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter;

    With that said I would be much more happy if misguided ignorant attention seeking individuals like yourself would not use the suffering of these women to propel your own career.

    Afghan woman more than any other women in Islamic South Asia will be against homosexuality activity as Pathan Men are notorious for this kind of behavior. Afghan women do not stand with you Racquel.

Leave a comment