Christian worker murdered in Afghanistan

Gayle Williams, a  worker with Christian charity SERVE Afghanistan has been shot dead in a drive-by shooting whilst walking to work.

An eyewitness told reporters that two men on a motorbike drew alongside her. One man then got off the motorbike and shot her at close range before jumping back on the bike and escaping.

"Some bullets hit her body and some hit her leg and when police got there she was dead," interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told the AFP news agency.

Taleban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told AFP that they killed Ms Williams "because she was working for an organisation which was preaching Christianity in Afghanistan".

In an earlier interview Mudahid stated: "“In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Beneficient. The mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate, and other opponents of the government who work under different names, are using every tactic with which we can inflict casualties on the enemy."

In a press statement SERVE Afghanistan referred to the 34-year-old Williams as "a person who always loved the Afghans and was dedicated toserving those who are disabled. Needless to say we are all in shock."

Dominic O'Reilly, UK director of Afghanaid, said they would review their security but continue to use female staff.

"We employ low-profile security and prefer not to use armed guards, but we do review arrangements on a daily basis," he said.

See report in The Telegraph which includes comments from Gayle's mother.

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Footnote:
SERVE Afghanistan is a Christian charity which has been working with Afghan refugees since
1980 in Pakistan. The organisaton has gradually moved both its project work and its head office into
Afghanistan itself.