Surge in Afghan violence concerns aid organizations

Radio Free Europe reports that the recent escalation of violence in Afghanistan has the International Red Cross worried for the safety of relief workers in the region. In the past two days, neo-Taliban fighters have staged more than twenty attacks all over Afghanistan resulting in over 300 deaths. Most of these reported causalities were rebel soldiers (around 250), but there are more and more incidents of health and relief workers being targeted by the insurgents. A doctor, two nurses and their driver, all of whom worked for a local aid group called Afghan Health Department Services, were killed by a landmine on Wednesday. Insurgents in theregion have targeted not just healthcare workers but also teachers and all other aid workers. Last month five doctors and nurses were killed in an attack on a clinic. The Red Cross is asking that the warring factions respect humanitarian law protecting relief workers, but it is obviously concerned about the effectiveness of this plea. The United Nations mission in the country said “if staff can't get out to do their work” due to violence, the UN will “move people to places where they can be more effective and useful.”
See full stories here: Surge in Afghan violence, Red Cross urges respect for humanitarians, UN Concerns over recent violence