Civilians have borne the brunt of the most recent conflict in afghanistan, which. It goes without saying that family, friends, and colleagues cringe when they hear those first words about aid workers being abducted or killed in a place like afghanistan. Johan freckhaus, a businessman, was abducted in the gailan district of ghazni province on may 29, 2008. Another two employees were unaccounted for and feared abducted after wednesdays attack in jowzjan. A finnish national was abducted from the scene during the attack, which happened at around 1 pm local time on saturday evening. A german colleague and an afghan guard were killed in the attack.
The deaths of a minesweeper and a red cross employee last week are a sign that afghanistan has become more dangerous for aid workers. Cnna german woman was shot and killed and her afghan guard beheaded when attackers targeted a guest house for aid workers saturday night in kabul, afghanistan, according to afghan interior ministry acting spokesman najib danish. Five afghan aid workers, who were abducted by the taliban in southern uruzgan province forty days ago, have been found dead, a provincial spokesperson said on saturday. The ministry said on september 14 that the woman was working for a.
British and us special forces rescue kidnapped aid workers in. Kidnapping has been a risk for foreigners working in afghanistan for many years. The unnamed woman was working for a swedish group, operation mercy, in the capital kabul, when gunmen attacked the guesthouse she was staying in. Kabul, afghanistan a taliban attack on two aid organizations last week, the deadliest episode in a recent surge of violence against humanitarian workers in afghanistan, is a signal to many. Gunmen abduct red cross workers in herat, afghanistan. Ann patchett on why we need lifechanging books right now. An american aid worker and her afghan driver who were kidnapped in afghanistan a month ago are feared dead, according to their aid group. Cordelier was released on april 28, 2007, damfreville was released on may 11, 2007 and the three aid workers were released on may 21, 2007. Taliban target aid groups, in an ominous turn in afghanistan. Kerry jane wilson has been released and is safe and well, the australian government said. Kabul, afghanistan four aid workers, including two women, who were. Kidnapped indian aid worker rescued in afghanistan the. A flawless operation by nato special forces led by the sas freed a british aid worker and her three colleagues from the clutches of taliban.
News gunmen abduct red cross workers in herat, afghanistan. Death toll for american afghan aid workers nears 300, new. Eric damfreville and celine cordelier, workers for terre denfance, were kidnapped with three afghan aid workers by the taliban on april 3, 2007 in nimruz. Kidnappings, sometimes for ransom, are a serious problem in conflicthit afghanistan and aid workers are often targeted. Four abducted aid workers freed kidnapped in afghanistan.
However, attacks on humanitarian workers have occasionally occurred, and became more frequent since the 1990s and 2000s. The aid workers working for a foreignbased aid group were making their way from central faizabad city and were abducted yesterday in yaftale bala district, said abdul marouf rasikh, a spokesman. The bodies of five afghan aid workers are found 39 days after their abduction by the taliban in the central province of uruzgan, officials say. Attack on aid workers reflects rising danger in afghanistan. Since the kidnapping, the charity kept a lid on publicity which it felt. The abduction on saturday of a female us aid worker in one of afghanistans most dangerous cities may signal increased risk for foreign aid workers. Finlands foreign ministry says a finnish aid worker who was kidnapped in afghanistan in may has been released. An aid worker writes from afghanistan the new york times. Taliban target aid groups, in an ominous turn in afghanistan the. Kidnapped indian aid worker rescued in afghanistan.
The two aid workers were working with bangladesh rural advancement committee brac and were abducted as they were going from the restive kunduz to baghlan province. The story of our captivity and freedom in afghanistan is the 2003 memoir of christian aid workers dayna curry and heather mercer. Afghanistans taliban is back, vowing war against aid workers the taliban, the muslim extremists who once controlled afghanistan until ejected by. Finnish aid worker abducted in afghanistan released. The aid worker security database team welcomes your feedback. Kidnapped australian aid worker set free in afghanistan. A german woman was shot and killed and her afghan guard beheaded when attackers targeted a guest house for aid workers saturday night in kabul, afghanistan, according to. International committee of the red cross have been abducted by an.
Kidnapped japanese aid worker found dead in afghanistan. Through april, five aid workers had been killed, 12 injured and 18 abducted this year in afghanistan, according to the united nations humanitarian coordinator, toby lanzer. Kabul, afghanistan a german woman was shot and killed and her afghan guard beheaded when attackers targeted a guest house for aid workers saturday night in. Kabul the international committee of the red cross in afghanistan is trying to gain the release of five staffers who were abducted in western herat province, a spokesman said saturday. By anand gopal correspondent of the christian science monitor kabul, afghanistan taliban gunmen killed a foreign christian aid worker in kabul on monday, sending a warning against proselytizing in. The bulletridden bodies of five aid workers have been found, weeks after they were abducted by armed gunmen in the south of afghanistan.
Kandahar, afghanistan january 26 an aid worker and her afghan driver were kidnapped in kandahar and are presumed dead. Kabul, afghanistan january 14 six people, including at least one aid worker from the usa named thor hesla, was killed in an attack on the serena hotel. Australian aid worker kidnapped in afghanistan bbc news. Aid workers killed and kidnapped in afghanistan youtube. Perhaps the most notorious case of 2007 was the abduction of 23 christian aid workers from south korea who attempted to travel from kabul to kandahar by. The bulletriddled bodies of five aid workers have been found, weeks after they were abducted by armed gunmen in the volatile south of afghanistan. Six of their colleagues died in the attack in which. Five aid workers, including two western women doctors, have been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in northeastern afghanistan, police and the provincial governors office said today. Kidnapped american aid worker feared dead in afghanistan. Five members of the international committee of the red cross have been abducted by an armed group in the western heart province of. Aid worker killed, another abducted in kabul attack cnn. Highrisk countries included afghanistan, the democratic. Mourners carry the coffin of one of six afghan employees of the red cross killed in. Kidnapping and hostage taking has become a common occurrence in afghanistan following.
The british aid worker linda norgrove was killed during a. The search continues for a british aid worker and her three afghan colleagues, kidnapped by armed men in afghanistan. Two aid workers from bangladesh were reportedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen while they were travelling in northern afghanistan on thursday, it has been reported. British aid worker kidnapped in afghanistan telegraph. We also welcome input on how the website can be made more useful. Four kidnapped aid workers freed in afghanistan bbc news. Fragmentation among militant groups, responsible for the majority of killings. The doctor, who was working for a charity, was travelling with three afghan men in a twovehicle convoy when they were ambushed yesterday. Armed fighters explain their motivations behind aid worker attacks. A japanese aid worker has been found dead near the remote eastern afghanistan area where he was kidnapped a day earlier, afghan officials said.
No clues on indian aid workers abduction in afghanistan. Aid workers in afghanistan are rescued from remote cave the. Acbar said 40 aid workers have been abducted so far this year. A finnish aid worker kidnapped in afghanistan in may has been freed, finlands foreign ministry says. Australian aid worker abducted in afghanistan freed after. Aid workers, particularly those working for nongovernment organisations, have repeatedly come under fire since the usled invasion to topple the hardline taliban regime in late 2001. Humanitarian casualties are on the rise again after years of decline in afghanistan, one of the most dangerous places for aid workers.
Police officials said friday that they were searching for two european aid workers who were kidnapped the day before in central pakistan. Aid women killed in afghanistan aid agencies say attacks on their workers in afghanistan are increasing. Taliban want to swap kidnapped british aid worker for pakistani. Last year aid workers were abducted, up from 45 in 2007, the aid worker security database, which records attacks on aid workers shows. Four aid workers who were abducted may 22 were freed early saturday in a. Corpses of afghan workers for save the children discovered weeks after they were abducted by gunmen in the volatile south of afghanistan. Bbc news south asia aid women killed in afghanistan. An australian aid worker has been abducted in the city of jalalabad in afghanistans east. Australian woman abducted at gunpoint in kabul afghanistan. Female australian aid worker snatched by armed men in afghanistan in early morning abduction. Media reports identified the woman as 60yearold katherine jane wilson, also known as kerry. Lack of prosecution fuelling big business in aid worker. The aid workers all employees of switzerlandbased aid group medair were making their way on horseback to the remote, mountainous province of badakhshan, in. Isis kills at least six red cross aid workers in afghanistan.
Aid worker killed, another abducted in kabul attack cw39. Kandahar four afghan employees of a french development agency who had been. Kidnappings of americans have been rare, and some kandahar residents say the abduction of cyd mizell and her afghan driver at. An australian aid worker has been abducted at gunpoint in afghanistan after spending a night out with friends, local media reports. A german aid worker and an afghan guard have been killed in an attack on a guest house in kabul. Gunmen abducted a german female aid worker in kabul in broad daylight monday, officials said, highlighting the growing risk to humanitarian workers in warbattered afghanistan. The briton was seized at gunpoint along with three fellow workers, thought to be afghans, as they were travelling in a convoy to visit an aid. Red cross to scale back in afghanistan in the wake of september attack. The two, identified as an italian man and a german man, worked for welthungerhilfe, an international aid group based in bonn. An afghan bystander was killed on monday when he tried to intervene as gunmen abducted a french aid worker on a residential street in kabul. Female australian aid worker kidnapped by armed men in. Military families face these stresses, too, but differently. The group of afghan workers for save the children was. Dost mohammad nayab said the dead bodies of the workers from save the children group were found in the provinces chanarto district.
The group was providing aid in regions affected by the devastating 2010 floods. The aid workers were abducted by a group of armed men during a visit to relief project sites in badakhshan, medair said. The bulletridden bodies of five aid workers have been found, weeks after they were abducted by armed gunmen in the south of afghanistan the group of. Sas frees uk hostage in daring afghan raid the independent.
Australian aid worker abducted in afghanistan freed after 4 months australias foreign minister julie bishop did not provide details of kerry jane wilson, but gave credit to afghan authorities. She, along with seven other western missionaries and their sixteen afghan coworkers. British aid worker kidnapped in afghanistan rescued by. Through april, five aid workers had been killed, 12 injured and 18 abducted this year in afghanistan, according to the united nations. Heather marie mercer born 1976 is an american who was one of 24 aid workers arrested in august 2001 by the taliban in afghanistan in connection with their work with the germanybased christian aid organization shelter now international. A finnish woman also staying at the guest house was abducted, danish said.
On august 6, 2010, six american medical aid workers were among. The abduction comes nearly 10 days after the attack on the indian consulate in herat. News kidnapped australian aid worker set free in afghanistan. Goats and soda the group has operated in the country for 30 years. Christina meier, an aid worker for ora international, was kidnapped in kabul on august 18, 2007, and appeared on a video the next day calling for. Abducted finnish aid worker freed in afghanistan bbc news. I am deeply concerned that aid workers are being targeted, with 93 of our colleagues abducted since the beginning of this year, said stephen obrien, the u. Red cross to scale back in afghanistan in the wake of. Aid workers abducted in afghanistan the irish times. Perez was also the 15th aid worker killed this year in afghanistan, the worlds secondmost dangerous country for humanitarians, surpassed only by south sudan. Ap the indian aid worker, who was abducted from herat in afghanistan by unidentified gunmen, remained in captivity for the second day on tuesday with local authorities yet to get any conclusive clues in the case. Ncri the international committee of the red cross in afghanistan is trying to secure the release of five of their staff members who were abducted in the.