Militants attacked a guest house situated in northern Afghanistan early Tuesday, resulting in the death of nine Afghan workers from a Czech aid organization.
The attack is the latest in militant groups attacking humanitarian employees in the country that has been afflicted with war. So far no militant group has claimed responsibility in the mostly peaceful province of Balkh. However, the attack comes as the Taliban strengthens its spring offensive every year in spite of recurring attempts by the government to renew peace talks, the Agence France-Presse reported.
The victims were workers for a Czech organization known as People In Need (PIN), that have been active in doing humanitarian aid to communities in the northern and eastern parts of Afghanistan since 2001. The casualties were six men, one woman and two security guards. They were working on a remote project in the northern part of the country.
The attack took place at around 2 a.m. while the victims were sleeping in their guesthouse at the Zari district of Balkh, according to The Gulf Today.
Despite the Taliban advocating a policy that bans attacks on humanitarian workers, they still come under attack in Afghanistan. The latest attack comes after 14 foreign aid workers were killed in a Talibain attack at a guesthouse located in downtown Kabul, according to the Daily Mail.
