Aid women killed in Afghanistan
August 13th, 2008 by yourfitnessequipment
Three female international aid workers have been shot dead along with their Afghan driver near Kabul.
The women worked for the International Rescue Committee (IRC). It said one was Canadian, another was British-Canadian and the third was Trinidadian-American.
A second Afghan driver was hurt when unidentified gunmen fired on the group as they drove through Logar province.
Aid agencies are frequently targeted in the Afghan conflict, with convoys attacked and staff abducted or killed.
International aid groups have been unable to operate in many southern provinces for some time because of insecurity. More recently, violence has been spreading to other areas.
Logar - which lies just to the south of the capital - had been relatively stable but has become increasingly violent in recent months.
The BBC’s Alastair Leithead in Kabul says the United Nations now classifies the province as high risk and that violence is encroaching on the capital.
Bodies
The three women and their two Afghan colleagues were travelling from Gardez in the south-east to Kabul when they were attacked.
Logar province’s deputy police chief, Abdul Majid Latifi, said those killed had been travelling in two cars when another vehicle carrying armed men opened fire on them.
The bodies were taken to the governor’s compound in the provincial capital, Puli Alam.
The IRC said it was “stunned and profoundly saddened” by what had happened.
“Words are inadequate to express our sympathy for the families and loved ones of the victims and our devoted team of humanitarian aid workers in Afghanistan,” said IRC president George Rupp.
The organisation announced it had suspended all of its humanitarian aid programmes in the country - after 20 years of operating in Afghanistan.
Earlier, police in Logar said the nationalities of the women were American, Canadian and Irish, but IRC officials say this is not correct.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack and it is cialis not clear who might have carried it out.
A senior Afghan security official told the BBC he believed a criminal gang had collaborated with the Taleban over the attack.
The aid workers had apparently changed cars for security viagra impotence pille reasons, and the details of their vehicles may have been passed on to their attackers.
UN special representative to Afghanistan Kai Ede said he was shocked by the attack.
‘Grave concern’
Earlier this month aid agencies warned they may become unable to operate in parts of Afghanistan once seen as safe, because of the intensifying conflict.
Related posts: Dana scully, Amanda seville, Wed, Sydney striders, Dell netbook
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.