Red Cross compound in Afghanistan attacked

KABUL -- Two insurgents attacked a compound housing the International Committee of the Red Cross in the eastern Afghanistan city of Jalalabad on Wednesday, killing an Afghan guard before security forces rescued seven foreigners. It was a striking escalation of attacks targeting international organizations.

The Red Cross has rarely been hit in the more than 12 years since the Afghan war began. Considered one of the most respected agencies in the country, it has good relations with all parties to the conflict, including the Taliban, who allow them to operate in areas under their control.

Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi said the three women and four men were safe after police killed an insurgent who was holed up inside the compound. He said one of the male aid workers was lightly wounded.

The other assailant detonated a suicide bomb vest at the building's gate at the beginning of the attack, killing an Afghan security guard who worked for the Red Cross, Sediqi said.

Red Cross officials were baffled.

"We are very concerned that the office has been attacked deliberately, knowing that the ICRC is a neutral organization working for almost three decades to provide humanitarian assistance," said Robin Waudo, communications coordinator for the Red Cross in Afghanistan.

The Taliban and other militants have unleashed a wave of bombings and assassinations around the country, testing the ability of the Afghan security forces to respond with reduced help from international forces, who have begun their withdrawal.

Yesterday's attack was the second major assault against an international organization in five days. Militants launched a similar operation against a United Nations-affiliated group in Kabul last week that killed three people.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, and it is unclear why insurgents would want to target the Red Cross.