US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday condemned the Taliban's killing of eight foreign aid workers in Afghanistan, including six Americans, dpa reported.
The bodies of the eight foreign aid workers and two Afghans were found in Nuristan province on Friday. The Taliban claimed responsibility, accusing them of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.
Clinton called it a "despicable act of wanton violence" and flatly rejected accusations that the workers were doing anything other than providing free medical care.
"They were unarmed, they were not being paid for their services, they had traveled to this part of Afghanistan because they wanted to help people in need," Clinton said.
The two other foreigners killed were British and German. Two of the Americans had been in Afghanistan for more than 30 years, having given care to people during the Soviet occupation, Clinton said.
"We are heartbroken by the loss of these heroic, generous people, and we condemn in the strongest possible terms these vicious murders," Clinton said.
"We also condemn the Taliban's transparent attempt to justify the unjustifiable by making false accusations about these aid workers' activities in Afghanistan," she added.
Clinton condemns Taliban slaying of medical aid workers
