KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai has warned the Taliban against forcing schools to close in Afghanistan saying it only harmed the country's people, not the "foreigners".
Karzai in a radio address that the education of children was the way ahead for progress and prosperity in the country.
"Preventing Afghan children from having an education does not harm foreigners - it is affecting the people of Afghanistan," he said.

After news last week that more than 100 schools in Ghazni have closed after receiving threats or after students left out of fear, Karzai called for the closures to stop.
"In reality, you are depriving your children of an education and the enemies benefit from this. You should put an end to the closure of schools," he said.

Afghanistan's Ghanzi province parliamentary representatives recently claimed that more than 100 schools in the province have closed in the face of escalating unrest and are concerned more will follow.
However, an official from the Ministry of Education refuted the claim, saying the schools did not close, but rather students have quit.

The Ghazni parliamentarians said they have called on security forces to try to re-open the schools, but it was proving difficult.

According to provincial officials, there are 633 schools in Ghazi, 40 percent of which are girls schools.

Hard-line Islamists in Afghanistan have previously issued violent threats against girls' schools and school teachers because they believe that Sharia law does not allow females to be given a school education. (Tolo News)