Getting Killed for Saving Lives

05/29/2013

Three suicide bombers stormed the office of the International Red Cross in Jalabad, Afghanistan earlier today and at least one guard has been killed. No one has so far claimed responsibility, but al-Qaeda has targeted the group in the past whereas the Taliban has not, according to the Wall Street Journal. The incident follows an attack by the Taliban last Friday on the Kabul headquarters of the International Organization for Migration.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Pakistan, the targeted shooting of two more polio vaccine workers in Pakistan on Tuesday is the latest in a shameful string of attacks carried out against these mostly female health workers by Muslim extremists over the past six months. A 19-year old woman was killed immediately and her co-worker was taken to the hospital with grave injuries.

The full article continues at http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2013/05/29/polio-humanitarian-workers-attacks-killings-violence/ on the Scientific American blog.