Afghanistan: Two Dead And One Missing In An NGO Attack In Kabul

An Afghan guard and a German employee were killed by armed men during a violent attack on Saturday, May 20, 2017, against the residence of employees of a Swedish NGO in Kabul. A Finnish worker is also missing. The Afghan security services have opened an investigation.

In the evening of Saturday, May 20, gunmen managed to enter the residence of the Swedish NGO Operation Mercy, located in the Ayub Khan district, southwest of Kabul, where several international NGOs, As well as the American university.

The Afghan Interior Minister confirms that a guard was killed with a knife and that a German employee was shot dead. Another woman of Finnish nationality is missing, says the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Afghan authorities clearly refer to a kidnapping.

No claim for time

The attacked development NGO is a member of ACBAR, an NGO coordinating agency in Afghanistan, an Australian employee was abducted before being released on unknown conditions on 15 March. The violence of the attack, which has not been claimed, is uncommon with the classic kidnapping cases of foreigners.

The attack took place only a few weeks after the launch of the Taliban spring offensive. They warned that they would intensify their attacks on foreigners. The latter are also targeted by criminal groups, motivated by the prospect of ransoms that some countries are willing to pay for the release of their nationals.