(RAWA) — Once again radicals opposing girls’ education on Sunday poisoned more than three dozen schoolgirls in northern Takhar province, the third incident of its kind over the past two months, officials said.

The victims, students of the Bibi Hajira High School, situated on the 5th road of Taloqan city, the provincial capital, fell sick for unknown reasons, Education Director Abdul Wahab Zafari told Pajhwok Afghan News.

The incident takes place four days after more than 120 schoolgirls and three teachers of the same school were poisoned, in the second attack in as many months, blamed on conservative radicals opposed to education for women and girls in the north, according to police and education officials.

Nearly 43 girls were brought to the Takhar Civil Hospital, Public Health Director Dr. Hafizullah confirmed to Pajhwok.