Gunmen kill 13 passengers in north Afghanistan
Ghani urges sustained support at donor summit
AFP
AFP, MAZAR-I-SHARIF: Unknown gunmen yesterday killed 13 minority Hazaras travelling in two vehicles in a usually tranquil northern Afghan province, as President Ashraf Ghani implored international donors for renewed support to the wounded country.
The victims, all male passengers, were plucked from their vehicles and shot dead from close range in a rare attack targeting ethnic minorities.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the incident, but it comes as Taliban insurgents ramp up attacks amid a bitter leadership transition.
The gunmen stopped two vehicles, lined up all the male passengers and shot them dead, said Jafar Haidari, the governor of Zari district in Balkh, where the incident occurred.
They spared the life of one woman who was in one of the vehicles. All the victims were Hazaras.
Abdul Razaq Qaderi, the deputy police chief of Balkh, confirmed the fatalities, adding that officials were investigating who was behind it.
Meanwhile, Afghan president implored international donors for their continued support Saturday, saying the wounded country faced a host of security and economic challenges while reiterating his vision of self-reliance after 40 years of war.
Donors have pledged billions of dollars over the past decade to reconstruct the war-torn country, convulsed by a 14-year Taliban insurgency and seething with unemployment.
