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Investigators Probe Afghan Aid-Worker Killings

August 09, 2010

Afghan and U.S. investigators are probing the killings of 10 medical aid workers -- eight of them believed to be Westerners -- who were gunned down in Afghanistan's northeastern province of Badakhshan in a slaughter claimed by the Taliban.

Initial indications have suggested the slain volunteers include five U.S. men and three women, from the United States, Britain, and Germany, and two Afghans.

At least one Afghan, a driver, is reported to have survived the attack.

The unarmed group had been treating villagers in northern Afghanistan for eye diseases and other ailments before it was attacked last week.

U.S. Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton issued a statement on August 8 calling the killings a "despicable act of wanton violence."

Clinton rejected a Taliban claim that the foreigners had tried to convert Afghans to Christianity, calling this claim a "transparent attempt to justify the unjustifiable by making false accusations about their activities."

Addressing Afghans in a video message, Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, said it was not yet confirmed that the Taliban had carried out the killings. But he said the killings show the "disregard" that extremists have for ordinary Afghans.

"The Taliban has called this group of medical aid workers spies and proselytizers," Eikenberry said. "They were no such thing. These were selfless volunteers who devoted themselves to providing free and much-needed health care to Afghans in the most remote and difficult parts of your country."

The U.S. ambassador added: "Their murder demonstrates the absolute disregard that terrorist-inspired Taliban and other insurgents have for your health, have for your security and have for your opportunities. They don't care about your future. They only care about themselves and their own ideology."

The foreign medical aid team had been organized by the International Assistance Mission, which describes itself as a Christian nongovernmental health and economic development aid organization.

The International Assistance Mission says its volunteers are not involved in preaching Christianity in Afghanistan.

compiled from agency reports

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Government_To_Lift_State_Of_Emergency_In_South/2122998.html

Copyright (c) 2010. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.