Afghanistan: Over 20 schools attacked on election day

At least 26 schools in different parts of Afghanistan were attacked by Taliban insurgents on 20 August - election day - apparently because they were being used as polling stations, according to the Ministry of Education (MoE). "Of the 2,742 schools used as voting centres, 11 were attacked in Logar [Province], two in Khost, three in Kunduz, two in Baghlan, two in Kandahar, two in Laghman and four in Wardak Province," MoE spokesman Asif Nang told IRIN. No casualties have been reported because students were off that day, MoE officials said. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), NGOs and rights watchdogs strongly opposed the use of schools as polling stations during the elections. "There will be long-term misperceptions and security implications for students, teachers and the education sector as a whole," said Ajmal Samadi, director of an Afghan rights watchdog, whose organization - Afghanistan Rights Monitor - had asked the Independent Electoral Commission and MoE not to use schools in the elections. However, MoE's Nang said: "We stand ready to make more and bigger sacrifices for the elections and similar important processes."