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| Finnish aid workers shot dead in Afghanistan | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two Finnish aid workers have been shot dead in the centre of Herat city, western Afghanistan, hours after a homemade bomb killed at least six people in a northern town. | Two Finnish aid workers have been shot dead in the centre of Herat city, western Afghanistan, hours after a homemade bomb killed at least six people in a northern town. |
| The attacks come at a time of heavy violence and political tension, as election officials preside over a painfully slow recount of contested ballots in a fraud-plagued presidential poll. | The attacks come at a time of heavy violence and political tension, as election officials preside over a painfully slow recount of contested ballots in a fraud-plagued presidential poll. |
| Civilian casualties climbed to record levels in the first six months of this year, UN figures showed, as insurgents test the security forces in the wake of Nato troop drawdowns. | Civilian casualties climbed to record levels in the first six months of this year, UN figures showed, as insurgents test the security forces in the wake of Nato troop drawdowns. |
| The female aid workers were travelling in a local taxi when their attacker pulled up beside them, riding pillion on a motorbike, and shot them at short range through the windows. | The female aid workers were travelling in a local taxi when their attacker pulled up beside them, riding pillion on a motorbike, and shot them at short range through the windows. |
| "They were travelling to their office when they were attacked in the Shar-e Nau area of Herat," said provincial governor Fazlullah Wahidi. "One woman was shot in the head and the other was shot in several places. An investigation is now under way." | |
| The taxi driver, who survived along with a colleague in the front seat, has been arrested, Herat police chief Abdul Rauf Ahmadi said. The Taliban declined to claim responsibility for the attack, saying they were still investigating. | The taxi driver, who survived along with a colleague in the front seat, has been arrested, Herat police chief Abdul Rauf Ahmadi said. The Taliban declined to claim responsibility for the attack, saying they were still investigating. |
| "The barbaric fate of the women affects us all. The act is particularly shocking as the women were in Afghanistan to help local people," Finnish president Sauli Niinistö said in a statement. He also demanded that the killers be brought to justice. | "The barbaric fate of the women affects us all. The act is particularly shocking as the women were in Afghanistan to help local people," Finnish president Sauli Niinistö said in a statement. He also demanded that the killers be brought to justice. |
| The two women worked for a well-respected Christian organisation, International Assistance Mission, which has been active in Afghanistan since 1966, providing medical aid, education and economic support. | The two women worked for a well-respected Christian organisation, International Assistance Mission, which has been active in Afghanistan since 1966, providing medical aid, education and economic support. |
| Despite its religious background, the group only does development work; proselytising is forbidden in Afghanistan, where the penalty for converting from Islam is death. | Despite its religious background, the group only does development work; proselytising is forbidden in Afghanistan, where the penalty for converting from Islam is death. |
| Several other IAM employees were killed in a 2010 attack on a medical convoy in northern Badakhshan, when British doctor Karen Woo also died. | Several other IAM employees were killed in a 2010 attack on a medical convoy in northern Badakhshan, when British doctor Karen Woo also died. |
| The bomb in the marketplace in northern Takhar province was attached to a motorbike and aimed at a police car, the Associated Press reported, but detonated when only civilians were in the area. As well as six killed, another 26 were injured, several of them children. | |
| The Taliban did not claim responsibility for either attack, saying only that they were investigating the shootings in Herat. | The Taliban did not claim responsibility for either attack, saying only that they were investigating the shootings in Herat. |
| Also today a suicide bomber hit a checkpoint in eastern Nangarhar province, killing a local police commander and his bodyguard. Security has declined in many parts of Afghanistan, with a rise in crimes such as kidnapping and robbery as well as insurgent attacks. | |
| The Taliban traditionally step up attacks during the summer "fighting season", when snow-melt and vegetation growth make it easier for soldiers to slip over mountain passes from safe havens in neighbouring Pakistan, and conceal themselves and weapons in Afghanistan. | |
| Additional reporting by Mokhtar Amiri | Additional reporting by Mokhtar Amiri |