Two Afghan aid workers killed: UNHCR

05 Aug, 2004

An Afghan aid worker and his driver were killed by unidentified gunmen in south-eastern Afghanistan in the latest attack on humanitarian agencies, which have been increasingly targeted by Islamic militants.
A field officer working for a partner organisation to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees was shot dead in Tuesday's attack on the road between Gardez, 105 km (66 miles) south of Kabul, and Zormat, a UNHCR spokesman said on Wednesday.
His driver was seriously wounded and later died after being airlifted to the US military base at Bagram north of the capital, said Mohammad Nader Farhad.
Both men were employed by the Malteser charity, which worked alongside the UNHCR in the province of Paktia where around 20,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland from the South Waziristan tribal agency.
Farhad said the victims were travelling in an unmarked car when they were attacked at around 5 pm (1230 GMT).
"We are extremely concerned about this security incident," Farhad said, adding that Malteser had suspended its operations in the south-east of the country as a result.
Malteser staff could not immediately be reached for comment.
The UNHCR has suspended staff travel in the southeast, although its operations in the area will continue.
Many aid organisations have suspended travel and operations across large parts of the south and east of the country where Islamic militants including remnants of the ousted Taleban are most active.

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