Gunmen killed five Afghan health workers at a remote clinic in the northwestern province of Badghis, the provincial governor said today.
"Five Health Ministry workers including nurses, doctors and a driver were killed when gunmen fired at them in their clinic last night," said the governor.
A Health Ministry official said terrorists were trying to undermine the government. The attackers also set fire to the clinic, he said.
Taliban insurgents are not known to be active in the area but there have been several recent attacks in the generally peaceful north and west, part of a surge in violence blamed on the insurgents fighting foreign troops and the government.
Drug gangs and other criminals are also responsible for some violence, officials say
Five workers of the Medecins Sans Frontieres aid group, three foreigners and two Afghans, were killed in an ambush in Badghis in 2004. Provincial officials said at the time Taliban insurgents were responsible.
The Taliban have regularly attacked aid workers and road construction crews saying their work is supporting the government and foreign forces. About 30 aid workers were killed in violence last year.