British Aid worker, Linda Norgrove, dies during rescue attempt

Linda Norgrove

A kidnapped British aid worker in Afghanistan has been killed during an attempted rescue by Nato troops. The death of Linda Norgrove was announced by William Hague, the British foreign secretary. She had been captured last month in eastern Afghanistan.

In a statement, Hague said: "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.

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Journalist Sultan Munadi killed

Afghan journalist, Sultan Munadi has been killed during an operation by British Commandos to rescue hum and British journalist, Stephen Farrell. Both men had been kidnapped and were being held hostage when the rescue mission happened.

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Reporter, Sultan Munadi

Sultan Munadi

Early morning on 9th September 2009, journalist Sultan Munadi died in a predawn raid by British commandos trying to rescue him and Stephen Farrell, a correspondent for The Times, from Taliban captivity. 

The two men had been kidnapped in northern Afghanistan the previous Saturday while reporting on a NATO bombing that killed scores of people, possibly including many civilians.

Mr. Munadi was killed as he tried to lead Mr. Farrell to safety. 

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American aid worker kidnapped, feared dead

Cyd Mizell, an American woman teaching in Afghanistan was kidnapped on her way to work on January 26, 2008. On February 27, 2008, the aid group she worked for, Asian Rural Life Development Foundation, reported that she was apparently dead. 

Witnesses report seeing 6 gunmen involved in her abduction. Nobody has ever claimed responsibility for her kidnapping and no body has ever been found.

Italian intelligence agent, Lorenzo D'Auria

WO D'Auria

Italian intelligence agent, Warrant Officer Lorenzo D'Auria, aged 33, who was critically injured in Afghanistan during a commando raid which freed him from kidnappers, died on 10th April 2007.

WO D'Auria suffered severe injuries to the head and neck during a raid by British and Italian special forces on 24th September last year. It remains unclear whether he was shot by his captors or in friendly fire.

D'Auria, who was rushed back to Italy, was put on a life support system at Rome's Celio military hospital. Sadly he died from his injuries.

The SISMI intelligence agent, along with a fellow agent and their Afghan

interpreter, was taken hostage on 23rd September by bandits believed to be linked to the Taliban.

The second agent and the interpreter were also injured in the rescue mission but their wounds were not life-threatening. All eight of the kidnappers were killed in the raid as was the agents' Afghan driver, while the NATO forces suffered no casualties.