KABUL – Save the Children organisation has come under violent attack inAfghanistan by the armed gunmen who stormed the office of the internationalorganisation today.
The Nangarhar Provincial Governor’s spokesman Attaullah Khoghyani said atabout 1pm on Wednesday that so far two people are confirmed dead and 12wounded in the ongoing attack on Save The Children offices in Jalalabad inNangarhar.
Khoghyani said one security force member and one civilian have been killedin the attack that started at 9am this morning.
Dozens of special forces converged on the area earlier this morning in abid to bring the situation under control.
About three hours after the attack was launched, Save The Children voicedtheir concerns about the safety of their staff who were reportedly trappedin the building.
In a tweet, the aid agency said: “We are devastated at the news that ourSCI office in Jalalabad city, Afghanistan came under attack this morning.Our primary concern is for the safety and security of our staff. We areawaiting further information and cannot comment further at this time.”
During the siege, Afghanistan’s CEO Abdullah Abdullah sent out a pressrelease and said such attacks show insurgents do not care and just want tocreate terror among the people.
He said that by carrying out such attacks, insurgents will not weaken thepeople’s determination.
He also said that all security forces across the country have been orderedto “not show sympathy to insurgents and to eliminate them”.
Abdullah went on to say that the National Unity Government still calls forpeace talks.
The Swedish ambassador to Afghanistan was also one of the first to condemnthe attack. Tobias Thyberg said via Twitter: “We pay tribute to those whosaved innocent lives, and express our deep sorrow for the dead, the woundedand their families. This mad violence will not break Afghanistan.
“Attacking those who risk their lives to bring development and humanitarianaid to Afghanistan is an unacceptable crime against international law andan affront to the people of Afghanistan and their friends. Our thoughts goout to Jalalabad”.
UNAMA also condemned the attack via Twitter and said “looking into reportsof attack outside @save_children Jalalabad. Attacks directed at civiliansor aid organizations are clear violations of international humanitarian lawand may amount to war crimes.”