300,000 Afghan Children Deprived Of Education Because Of Violence

Kabul, Afghanistan (AHN) - The violence in Afghanistan particularly those involving Taliban militants and other insurgents, have been depriving over 300,000 Afghan children of education, President Hamid Karzai said Tuesday.

"Attacks on education by the enemies of Afghanistan and the enemies of humanity have barred at least 300,000 Afghan children from going to school," Karzai told a two-day conference on "Equal Access to Quality Education for All" in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

He adds, "We want the international community particularly our neighbor Pakistan to facilitate us to again send these children to school," he further stressed.

Karzai estimates that international assistance to rebuild Afghanistan's army and police will take at least 10 years. But rebuilding the war-ravaged region's education system may take longer than that, he said.

He addressed delegates of the conference, including U.N. officials and diplomats, "If the international community wants Afghanistan to stand on its feet, it has to assist this country on long-term basis."

An estimated 11 million Afghans from the country's 30 million population were illiterate.

At least 147 school children and teachers have been killed by Taliban extremists and their sympathizers, as well as setting ablaze 98 schools and education centers in the southern provinces where the Islamic militants were active.

Fighting in the southern province of Helmand province have killed thousands of Afghans between the militants and NATO-led international peacekeepers and Afghan security forces.

In the past week, the Taliban have renewed their attacks on civilian and government targets in the region.