UN official ‘shocked’ by killing of aid workers in Afghanistan

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan today expressed sadness for the death of five staff members of Save the Children International, found dead on 10 April, after being abducted on 3 March in Uruzgan province.

"I am deeply saddened by this shocking news. I share the grief of our colleagues at Save the Children International and the families of those killed,” Mark Bowden said in a statement to the press.

“Afghanistan is one of the most challenging places for the humanitarian community with death, kidnappings and attacks against humanitarians all too frequent an occurrence,” he added.

Aid workers in Afghanistan provide emergency trauma care, run feeding programmes for malnourished children, assist people displaced from conflict and natural disasters, and support the most vulnerable wherever there is need.

Attacks against aid workers lessen their ability to carry out these essential activities.

“I call on all parties to ensure that those providing humanitarian assistance have safe access to people in need are can carry out their life-saving work unhindered,” the Humanitarian Coordinator said.

In 2014, 57 aid workers were killed in Afghanistan, according to United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).