31 May 2006

Four men have been arrested and are detained in connection with the killing of three female project staff from international aid agency, ActionAid, and their driver. The four were shot dead on Tuesday May 30 in the northern Afghanistan province of Jawzjan, about 500 kilometres from Kabul. No motive has yet been established for these killings.

The women (aged 45, 45 and 19 years) were travelling to work when their vehicle was ambushed between the villages of Abbas and Khala Jabachi by two unidentified gunmen riding past on motorcycles between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. All three died immediately, along with the driver.

The women were all Afghan nationals from Jawzjan province, employed with ActionAid for one year. Two of the women were community workers and the other an administrative assistant. The driver was employed by a local car hire company.

"ActionAid condemns the killing of three innocent women who were killed whilst undertaking important humanitarian work in Afghanistan," said John Samuel, Asia International Director for ActionAid. "Women are the most vulnerable in Afghanistan and it is important that ActionAid continues to work with them so that they have rights and justice."

The women were on their way to local village communities to undertake community work with the National Solidarity Programme, a government-run project.  ActionAid is one of 24 implementing partners of this project and has been working with the local communities for over three years.

The funerals were conducted this morning and attended by family and friends of the deceased, as well as ActionAid staff.

"ActionAid was welcomed by the local villagers in Jawzjan province and so we are shocked that such a tragic incident could occur," said GB Adhikari, Country Director of ActionAid in Afghanistan, noting that the northern provinces are usually considered safer than Kabul and the southern provinces.

ActionAid remains committed to the delivery of humanitarian work in Afghanistan but staff security is paramount. The organisation is taking all necessary steps to better understand the situation and to ensure that the families of those killed are supported at this time.

The ActionAid office in Kabul was closed on Monday following riots in the area and all 27 full-time staff and 125 project workers have been told to stay at home for 48 hours.