6 Red Cross members shot dead in northern Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

Six members of the International Committee of the Red Cross were killed allegedly by Daesh militants in northern Afghanistan’s Jawzjan province on Wednesday, according to police.

Police official Abdul Hafiz Khashayi told Anadolu Agency the incident took place in the province’s Qosh Tapa district. Khashayi accused pro-Daesh militants for the attack.

In a statement, the ICRC confirmed the incident and said its team comprising of three drivers and five field officers was on its way to deliver livestock materials in an area south of the town of Shibergan when it came under attack.

“Their convoy was attacked by unknown armed men,” it said.

In the statement, Monica Zanarelli, ICRC delegation head in Afghanistan, said: “This is a despicable act. Nothing can justify the murder of our colleagues and dear friends.

“At this point, it’s premature for us to determine the impact of this appalling incident on our operations in Afghanistan."

The fate of two staff members remains unknown.

“We want to collect ourselves as a team and support each other in processing this incomprehensible act and finding [about] our two unaccounted for colleague," Zanarelli added.

The attack came a day after a suicide attack on the Supreme Court in Kabul claimed 21 lives.

The UN in Afghanistan strongly condemned the attack on ICRC personnel. Mark Bowden, the UN deputy special representative of the secretary-general and humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan, said the incident demonstrated the ongoing and urgent need for all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect the lives and rights of civilians, and providing aid workers with a safe environment to work in.

Earlier this week, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan called on all warring parties in Afghanistan to take urgent steps to halt the killing and maiming of civilians. The UN mission documented 11,418 conflict-related civilian casualties, including 3,498 killed and 7,920 injured in its annual report for 2016.