KABUL, (Reuters) – An international Christian aid group yesterday played down claims by the Taliban they had killed 10 members from one of the group’s medical teams, saying it was still unclear who was responsible.
Dirk Frans, executive director of the International Assistance Mission (IAM), also told a news conference that an Afghan driver who was with the team was in custody at the Interior Ministry in Kabul.
He did not say if the driver, identified only as Safiullah, was a suspect.
“Safiullah is in Kabul at Ministry of Interior facilities,” Frans said, adding he had been able to speak with him briefly.
“He sounded quite okay. He is one of the witnesses, he is not the only witness. I know his relatives have had access to him.”
An Interior Ministry spokesman was not immediately available to comment.
Frans’s remarks, casting doubt about whether the Taliban were behind the attack, were in contrast with a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton which directly blamed the Islamist group for what she described as a “despicable act of wanton violence.”
