Islamic State Kills 6 ICRC Employees in Afghanistan

Authorities in northern Afghanistan say Islamic State terrorists have killed at least six local employees of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Jowzjan province government spokesman Reza Ghafoori told VOA Wednesday’s attack occurred in the Qushtipa district and the assailants also took away two ICRC workers.  He said the ICRC staff were bringing animal food to farmer families in the district when IS militants ambushed their convoy.

An ICRC statement said the charity is, “Shocked and devastated,” and confirmed that six ICRC staff were killed and two are missing in Jowzjan province.

IS has also claimed responsibly for Tuesday’s suicide bombing in Kabul and identified the bomber as Tajik.  The attack killed at least 22 people and wounded 40 others in Kabul.

Most of the victims Tuesday were employees of the Afghan Supreme Court.  Female judges and prosecutors were among those killed and wounded.  

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, Wednesday condemned the suicide attack outside the court building as “nothing short of an atrocity” and called for those responsible must be brought to justice.

“Since the beginning of 2015 alone, UNAMA has documented 74 attacks targeting judges, prosecutors and judicial staff, which have resulted in 89 dead and 214 injured,” according the mission’s statement issued in Kabul.

IS has been trying to establish a foothold in Afghanistan and has stepped attacks around the country, mainly targeting Shia Muslim minority community.

The number of civilian casualties caused by IS terrorists in Afghanistan increased nearly 10 times in 2016 compared to the previous year, according to a UNAMA report released earlier this week. It said that more than 200 people were killed and 700 wounded in comparison to 39 deaths and 43 injured in 2015.
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