AFGANISTAN

MARCH 8 2007 18:21h

German Aid Worker Shot Dead In Afganistan

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A German aid worker was shot dead while travelling with colleagues on a road in northern Afghanistan.

Sar-e-Pul Governor Sayed Mohammad Iqbal Nib blamed "terrorists" for the attack, adding no one else had been hurt.

"Terrorists were behind this," he said, adding police reinforcements had been sent to the area to investigate.

The group, German Agro Action, has several foreign workers in the north, local officials say.

Two German journalists were shot dead in October while camping in nearby Baghlan province.

Aid workers, especially Afghans, are often attacked by the Taliban and other insurgents.

Thursday's death comes as the Taliban say they hold an Italian journalist in the south they accuse of spying for British troops.