ENG - OTHER CIV Other 5 CIV KIA

AMBUSHED THE CAR OF AN AID WORKER ORGANIZATION IN BADGHIS PROVINCE, KILLING ALL FIVE OCCUPANTS. MEMBERS OF THE TALIBAN HAVE CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTACK ASSESSMENT OF THE CRIME SCENE DETERMINED THAT TWO ATTACKERS COMMITTED THE AMBUSH WHILE TRAVELING ON A MOTORCYCLE. THEY USED AN AK-47 AND A PISTOL. THEY DID NOT ROB THE VEHICLE. TALIBAN COMMANDER HAJI LATIF HAKIMI, LOCATED IN HERAT STATED THAT TALIBAN IS CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INCIDENT. HE SAID THE ATTACK WAS MADE ON MSF BECAUSE THE GROUP WORKS FOR AMERICANS UNDER THE COVER OF AID WORK. HE FURTHER THREATENED UNSPECIFIED AID GROUPS. (SOURCE COMMENT: SOURCE STATES THAT THE STATEMENT MAY NOT BE ACCURATE BECAUSE IT IS HARVEST SEASON IN BADGHIS PROVINCE AND SO IT IS MORE LIKELY TO BE POPPY RELATED. ANOTHER SOURCE STATES THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO ROBBERY, THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECENT REPORTS OF TALIBAN ACTIVITY IN QADIS DISTRICT AND SO TALIBAN IS UNLIKELY. THERE IS HEIGHTENED TENSION IN THE PROVINCE AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE ATTACK. THE UNITED NATIONS AND AFGHAN NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION SECURITY ORGANIZATION (ANSO) HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT ALL ROUTES IN QADIS DISTRICT BE CONSIDERED HIGH RISK AT THIS TIME, AND ALL BADGHIS ROUTES ARE AT ELEVATED RISK DUE TO THE POPPY HARVEST