32 wedding guests poisoned in northern Afghanistan

2011-07-21 04:19:35 GMT+7 (ICT)

BAGHLAN, AFGHANISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- At least 32 wedding guests, including women and children, were poisoned in northern Afghanistan, officials said on Wednesday.

Col. Noor Gul, the district police chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the incident took place in the Baikh area of Dahna-i-Ghori district in northern Baghlan province on Tuesday night. The victims, including six women and 12 children, were rushed to the hospital.

"I felt dizzy and started vomiting soon after taking the wedding supper," one of the victims, Khair Mohammad, 25, said. His wife and two children were also poisoned.

According to medical sources, the victims were in stable condition. The cause of poisoning, however, remains unclear.

Last week, at least three people were killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a wedding party in the same province.

In June, at least nine people were killed after a group of gunmen attacked a wedding party in the eastern region of Afghanistan near the Pakistani border.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-07-21

As if it's not miserable enough in that part of the world. I would call the perpetrators vermin, but that would be insulting to vermin.

All of this in addition to the airstrikes due to all the gunfire they have at these things. Maybe it's time to introduce the concept of eloping to the Afghans?