A BRITISH aid worker kidnapped in Afghanistan has been killed during an attempted rescue, it was confirmed tonight.
Linda Norgrove, 36, was working in Afghanistan when she was snatched in late September while traveling in a two-car convoy with three colleagues.
Sky News reported that UK special forces were not involved in the rescue mission, which was carried out by US and Afghan forces.
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement: “It is with deep sadness that I must confirm that Linda Norgrove, the British aid worker who had been held hostage in eastern Afghanistan since 26 September, was killed at the hands of her captors in the course of a rescue attempt last night.
“Working with our Allies we received information about where Linda was being held and we decided that, given the danger she was facing, her best chance of safe release was to act on that information.”
Mr Hague said the responsibility for the tragic outcome rested squarely with the hostage takers. “Given who held her, and the danger she was in, we judged that Linda’s best chance lay in attempting to rescue her,” he said. “I want to record my gratitude to our NATO allies and to the Afghan authorities and security forces for doing all they could to secure the safe release of Linda.
“Hostage taking is never justified and the UK does not make concessions to hostage-takers. But whenever British nationals are kidnapped, we and our allies will do everything in our power to free them.” Mr Hague added it was a tragedy the aid worker was taken while doing the job she loved in a country she loved.
“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this terrible time and I would ask the media to allow them time to come to terms with their sad loss,” he said.
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