Afghanistan: Save the Children, three members of our staff killed during the attack in Jalalabad

24/01/18

It is with deep sadness that we confirm that three Save the Children staff members were killed in today's attack on our headquarters in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. All the rest of the staff who were at the facility were rescued, while four were injured in the attack and are currently receiving medical treatment.

 Save the Children condemns this attack in the harshest way possible. We are shocked and horrified by the violence perpetrated against our staff in Afghanistan, made up of humanitarian workers committed to improving the lives and well-being of millions of children across the country. We are doing everything we can to ensure all our staff have the support they need following this devastating attack.

 Investigation of the nature of the attack is currently under way while it is not yet possible to establish the reasons for what happened. Attacks against humanitarian workers can in no way be tolerated and have a direct impact on the children we want to protect with our work.

 Save the Children has been operating in Afghanistan since 1976, carrying out life-saving health interventions and childhood education, nutrition and protection projects that have helped save the lives of millions of children. Following what happened today, we have temporarily suspended our operations across the country, but we continue to be committed to supporting the most vulnerable children in Afghanistan.  

 As a sign of condolences for the three colleagues who lost their lives in today's attack and for all the humanitarian workers who in many parts of the world were killed while working to protect children and their families, from today the homepage of the site by Save the Children Italia - www.savethechildren.it - becomes completely black. Even on all of the organization's social accounts, the traditional red Save the Children logo will go black as a sign of condolence.

Save the Children press release

(photo: Twitter)