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| Afghanistan |
| Briton among eight doctors 'killed by Taliban' |
| 2010-08-07 |
| The medics were British, German and American. Two Afghans were also found dead with the three women and five men, the local police chief said. The Taliban took credit for the killing of "nine Christian missionaries" in northern Afghanistan after the bodies were found in dense forest. "Yesterday (Friday) at around 8am, one of our patrols confronted a group of foreigners. They were Christian missionaries and we killed them all," said Zabihullah Mujahed, a front man for the Taliban. The group have a record for claiming responsibility for attacks in which they were not involved. Mujahed said the group were lost and killed as they tried to escape. "They were carrying Persian language bibles, a satellite-tracking device and maps," he said. Gen Agha Noor Kemtuz, provincial police chief, said it was unclear what the group had been doing in Kuran Wa Munjan district of Badakhshan. He said villagers had reported finding the abandoned vehicles in Afghanistan several days ago and an investigation team was sent to the densely-forested scene on the border with Nuristan province, one day's drive from the provincial capital Faizabad. He said: "We couldn't find any passports or anything," he said. "Nothing was left behind." German and American diplomats confirmed they were urgently investigating the reports, but said the remote location was hampering investigations. Gen Agha Noor Kemtuz told The Sunday Telegraph the doctors had passed through the province two weeks ago en route to neighbouring Nuristan. They were attacked as they returned from Nuristan and had stopped for several days in a forested region called Sharone. He said: "The local people told them not to stay there because it wasn't safe." An Afghan man called Saifullah survived the attack after persuading the attackers not to execute him by reciting verses of the Koran. Gen Kemtuz said Saifullah had testified that the doctors had been lined up, searched and robbed before being bumped off with AK-47s. Saifullah was driven away as a captive before being released. The dead were believed to be medical workers on an eye care mission from International Assistance Mission (IAM), a Christian charity specialising in health and economic development. A statement from IAM said: "We have been informed that 10 people, both foreign and Afghan, were murdered in Badakhshan. "It is likely that they are members of the International Assistance Mission (IAM) eye camp team. "The team had been in Nuristan at the invitation of communities there. After having completed their medical work the team was returning to Kabul. "At this stage we do not have many details but our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who are presumed killed. "If these reports are confirmed we object to this senseless killing of people who have done nothing but serve the poor. "Some of the foreigners have worked alongside the Afghan people for decades." Sources close to the organisation said they had not been involved in proselytising. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #1 Sources close to the organisation said they had not been involved in proselytising. Since when did this matter? They were Christian, not Muslim. That's all they need in order to kill them. |
| Posted by: miscellaneous 2010-08-07 16:34 |