Afghanistan: UN deeply shocked at ‘cowardly’ murder of doctors

The United Nations refugee agency has expressed deep shock over the brutal killing in Afghanistan of five local members of a mobile medical team which worked closely with it, the latest of dozens of humanitarian workers killed in the strife-torn country since 2002.

The United Nations has expressed deep shock over the brutal killing in Afghanistan of five local members of a mobile medical team which worked closely with the world organization, the latest of dozens of humanitarian workers killed in the strife-torn country since 2002.

“We are outraged by this cowardly attack on our courageous humanitarian partners and friends who gave their lives helping others,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) António Guterres said yesterday.

The workers for Afghan Help Development Services (AHDS) were slain yesterday in the Kandahar area of southern Afghanistan when two insurgents riding a motorbike opened fire and threw a hand grenade at their vehicle. The vehicle was carrying eight AHDS staff. In addition to the five killed, three others were wounded, including a nurse who lost her husband in the attack.

“The gravity of this incident is further compounded by the fact that the aid workers, a medical team, were on their way to help Afghans staying at an Internally Displaced Persons camp,” the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.

The mission said the Afghan people “will see in this brutal attack further reason to rally against all forms of violence.”

Two of the dead were doctors, on their way to Talo Qan camp for displaced people in the Panjway district of Kandahar.

More than 45 humanitarian workers – Afghans and internationals – have been killed in Afghanistan since 2002.