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UK charity worker killed in Kabul | UK charity worker killed in Kabul |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A woman working for a UK-registered charity has been shot dead near Kabul University in the Afghan capital. | A woman working for a UK-registered charity has been shot dead near Kabul University in the Afghan capital. |
Gayle Williams, 34, was a UK and South African national. She was killed by two men on a motorbike, witnesses told the BBC. | Gayle Williams, 34, was a UK and South African national. She was killed by two men on a motorbike, witnesses told the BBC. |
The Taleban are reported to have said they killed her because she was working for a Christian organisation called Serve Afghanistan. | The Taleban are reported to have said they killed her because she was working for a Christian organisation called Serve Afghanistan. |
In August the Taleban killed three foreign women near Kabul. | In August the Taleban killed three foreign women near Kabul. |
Further worries | Further worries |
Ms Williams was killed while walking to work, police said. | Ms Williams was killed while walking to work, police said. |
An eyewitness told the BBC that two men on a motorbike drew alongside her. One man then got off the motorbike and shot her at close range before jumping back on the bike and escaping. | An eyewitness told the BBC that two men on a motorbike drew alongside her. One man then got off the motorbike and shot her at close range before jumping back on the bike and escaping. |
Mike Lyth paid tribute to Ms Williams | |
Children on the street going to school also saw the incident. | Children on the street going to school also saw the incident. |
"Some bullets hit her body and some hit her leg and when police got there she was dead," interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told the AFP news agency. | "Some bullets hit her body and some hit her leg and when police got there she was dead," interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told the AFP news agency. |
The BBC's Martin Patience in Kabul says this is not the first time that a foreigner has been killed in the Afghan capital by armed men. | The BBC's Martin Patience in Kabul says this is not the first time that a foreigner has been killed in the Afghan capital by armed men. |
But the incident will raise further concerns about the security situation in Afghanistan, our correspondent says. | But the incident will raise further concerns about the security situation in Afghanistan, our correspondent says. |
In the past week, there have been three assassinations in the southern city of Kandahar, all carried out by men on motorbikes. | In the past week, there have been three assassinations in the southern city of Kandahar, all carried out by men on motorbikes. |
Operations suspended | Operations suspended |
Serve Afghanistan is a UK registered charity whose overseas staff are volunteers. It focuses on education and training for people with disabilities. | Serve Afghanistan is a UK registered charity whose overseas staff are volunteers. It focuses on education and training for people with disabilities. |
The charity's chairman, Mike Lyth, said the staff and volunteers were in shock over the killing. | The charity's chairman, Mike Lyth, said the staff and volunteers were in shock over the killing. |
Police at the scene of the shooting | |
He said: "She had been there for about two-and-a-half-years and was managing a community development project focused on disabled people. | He said: "She had been there for about two-and-a-half-years and was managing a community development project focused on disabled people. |
"We are deeply saddened about what has happened. She was absolutely lovely and was full of life. A sportswoman and mountaineer - she just loved that sort of thing. | "We are deeply saddened about what has happened. She was absolutely lovely and was full of life. A sportswoman and mountaineer - she just loved that sort of thing. |
"The thought of Afghanistan must have seemed an adventure for her." | "The thought of Afghanistan must have seemed an adventure for her." |
Taleban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told AFP that they killed Ms Williams "because she was working for an organisation which was preaching Christianity in Afghanistan". | Taleban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told AFP that they killed Ms Williams "because she was working for an organisation which was preaching Christianity in Afghanistan". |
Mr Lyth believed more attacks were imminent and said: "It is happening increasingly often in countries like Afghanistan. It is a policy of the Taleban to destabilise and knock the government by knocking out all of the aid and NGOs working there." | Mr Lyth believed more attacks were imminent and said: "It is happening increasingly often in countries like Afghanistan. It is a policy of the Taleban to destabilise and knock the government by knocking out all of the aid and NGOs working there." |
He said Ms Williams's fellow volunteers needed to discuss their next course of action. | He said Ms Williams's fellow volunteers needed to discuss their next course of action. |
In August another aid group, the International Rescue Committee, suspended operations after three of its foreign female staff - a British-Canadian, a Canadian and a Trinidadian-American - were shot with their Afghan driver close to Kabul. | In August another aid group, the International Rescue Committee, suspended operations after three of its foreign female staff - a British-Canadian, a Canadian and a Trinidadian-American - were shot with their Afghan driver close to Kabul. |
The Taleban claimed responsibility for that attack, saying the women were foreign spies. | The Taleban claimed responsibility for that attack, saying the women were foreign spies. |