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Attack on French Aid Group in Afghanistan Kills 6 Attack on French Aid Group in Afghanistan Kills 6
(about 3 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — Two fatal attacks on relief workers in the past two days have raised concerns that insurgents have begun deliberately targeting them, after years during which aid groups working independently of the military have been considered off limits. KABUL, Afghanistan — Two fatal attacks on relief workers in Afghanistan in the past two days have raised concerns that insurgents are now deliberately targeting them, after years in which aid groups working independently of the military have been considered off limits.
Six Afghan workers employed to carry out a literacy project by the French charity Acted were killed in an ambush in northern Faryab Province on Wednesday by men who appeared to be insurgents, Afghan officials said. Six Afghan workers employed to carry out a literacy project by the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, a French charity known by its French acronym, Acted, were killed in an ambush in northern Faryab Province on Wednesday by men who appeared to be insurgents, Afghan officials said.
On Tuesday, in southern Uruzgan Province, three aid workers engaged in a village-level development project were killed by a remote-controlled bomb, officials said.On Tuesday, in southern Uruzgan Province, three aid workers engaged in a village-level development project were killed by a remote-controlled bomb, officials said.
In both episodes, the victims were involved in projects run by the National Solidarity Program, which provides aid at the village level and is highly popular in local communities — and until recently had rarely been the target of insurgents because of the program’s grass-roots support. In both episodes, the victims were involved in projects run by the National Solidarity Program, which provides aid at the village level and until recently had rarely been the target of insurgents because of the program’s grass-roots support.
Acted was an implementing partner in Faryab for the program, which is run by the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and is financed by the World Bank and other donors. Unlike many aid projects run by the United States Agency for International Development and by other similar bilateral donors, the National Solidarity Program has enjoyed a reputation as apolitical and not aligned with the military. In Faryab, Acted was an implementing partner for the program, which is run by the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and is financed by the World Bank and other donors. Unlike many aid projects run by the United States Agency for International Development and by other similar bilateral donors, the National Solidarity Program has enjoyed a reputation as apolitical and not aligned with the military.
“We are concerned about our staff being targeted,” said Jamil Danish, the press adviser to the minister in charge of the solidarity program. “But this won’t deter us from continuing to deliver services to our people. We still believe that most of our protection comes from local people.”“We are concerned about our staff being targeted,” said Jamil Danish, the press adviser to the minister in charge of the solidarity program. “But this won’t deter us from continuing to deliver services to our people. We still believe that most of our protection comes from local people.”
In addition to the two most recent attacks, a week ago the head of the ministry’s branch and of the National Solidarity Program in Kunduz Province was assassinated, Mr. Danish said.In addition to the two most recent attacks, a week ago the head of the ministry’s branch and of the National Solidarity Program in Kunduz Province was assassinated, Mr. Danish said.
In the Faryab and Uruzgan attacks, he said, it appeared that the aid workers were deliberately targeted. In Uruzgan, they were working on a small development program requested by a district shura, or council, when a remote-controlled bomb was detonated.In the Faryab and Uruzgan attacks, he said, it appeared that the aid workers were deliberately targeted. In Uruzgan, they were working on a small development program requested by a district shura, or council, when a remote-controlled bomb was detonated.
In the Faryab killings on Wednesday, the victims were stopped at a checkpoint by unknown men, searched and questioned, before being ambushed later by gunmen who fired into their car, Mr. Danish said.In the Faryab killings on Wednesday, the victims were stopped at a checkpoint by unknown men, searched and questioned, before being ambushed later by gunmen who fired into their car, Mr. Danish said.
The Faryab police chief, Gen. Nabi Jan Mullahkhel, said the aid workers were killed by insurgents in the Pashtun Kot district.The Faryab police chief, Gen. Nabi Jan Mullahkhel, said the aid workers were killed by insurgents in the Pashtun Kot district.
Mr. Danish said that there were seven men in the vehicle and that one survived. The wounded man said that the attackers pulled the six dead men out of the car but did not notice that he was still alive, then set their vehicle on fire. Mr. Danish said that there were seven men in the vehicle and that one survived. The wounded man said the attackers had pulled all six victims out of the car without noticing he was still alive, then had set their vehicle on fire.
The National Solidarity Program has activities in 33,000 villages in Afghanistan, and is the major dispenser of aid at local levels, where projects are requested and designed by local councils, which helps to provide security. “Most of our protection comes from the local people,” Mr. Danish said. The National Solidarity Program has activities in 33,000 villages in Afghanistan, and is the major dispenser of aid at local levels, where projects are requested and designed by local councils, which help provide security.
Last year, for instance, eight National Solidarity Program workers were kidnapped by insurgents in Ghazni Province, but all were released unharmed after local elders spoke up on their behalf.Last year, for instance, eight National Solidarity Program workers were kidnapped by insurgents in Ghazni Province, but all were released unharmed after local elders spoke up on their behalf.
A statement from the Taliban in July 2012 pledged that aid workers should not be targeted. “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan supports as per its policy each and every N.G.O. which is useful for the ordinary Afghan and does not support the foreign invasion. Similarly the I.E.A. tries its best to facilitate them according to possibilities and condemns the torture and killing of its worker inside the country as well as abroad,” the Taliban said in a statement in English. A statement from the Taliban in July 2012 pledged that workers with nongovernmental organizations would not be targeted. “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan supports as per its policy each and every N.G.O., which is useful for the ordinary Afghan and does not support the foreign invasion,” the Taliban said in a statement in English. “Similarly, the I.E.A. tries its best to facilitate them according to possibilities and condemns the torture and killing of its workers inside the country as well as abroad.”
Four months ago, however, a group of six engineers working on a National Solidarity Program project in western Herat Province were kidnapped by insurgents and later killed. Five of the victims were employees of the aid group the International Rescue Committee, which briefly suspended its activities in Afghanistan as a result, and the sixth was a government employee of the aid program. Four months ago, however, a group of six engineers working on a National Solidarity Program project in western Herat Province were kidnapped by insurgents and later killed. Five of the victims were employees of the International Rescue Committee, which briefly suspended its activities in Afghanistan as a result, and the sixth was a government employee of the aid program.
The attack on Wednesday was the second serious episode involving Acted staff this year. The Paris-based aid group, whose name is formed from the French abbreviation for the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, has worked in Afghanistan for about 25 years and has nearly 900 staff in the country, most of them Afghans. In January, one of Acted’s French managers was kidnapped when his car was stopped in Kabul. He was released several months later in Wardak Province. The attack on Wednesday was the second serious episode involving Acted staff members this year. The Paris-based aid group has worked in Afghanistan for about 25 years and has nearly 900 staff members in the country, most of them Afghans. In January, one of Acted’s French managers was kidnapped when his car was stopped in Kabul. He was released several months later in Wardak Province.
At the time, the Kabul police discounted the possibility that the kidnapping of the Acted manager was the work of insurgents and blamed internal staff disputes instead.At the time, the Kabul police discounted the possibility that the kidnapping of the Acted manager was the work of insurgents and blamed internal staff disputes instead.
General Mullahkhel said that in the Faryab incident, police had reports that someone working for Acted there had tipped off insurgents about their colleagues’ trip as a result of disputes within the local staff. General Mullahkhel said that in the Faryab incident, the police had reports that someone working for Acted there had tipped off insurgents about their colleagues’ trip as a result of internal staff disputes.
Neither Acted nor Taliban spokesmen could be reached for comment.Neither Acted nor Taliban spokesmen could be reached for comment.

Habib Zahori contributed reporting.

Habib Zahori contributed reporting.