Gunmen kill five in Afghanistan

Gunmen shot dead five Pakistani construction workers in Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar today, a police official said…

Gunmen shot dead five Pakistani construction workers in Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar today, a police official said.

The spokesman said two militants on a motorcycle opened fire at about 7am on a group of Pakistani nationals waiting for transport to take them to a building site.

Another Pakistani was wounded in the incident, he said.

Attacks on foreign civilians in Afghanistan have increased markedly over the past year, but Pakistanis are rarely targetted by militants because of the Taliban's links to the country.

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The Taliban last week staged an attack in central Kabul, targetting two guest houses used by Indians and a shopping centre frequented by foreigners. Up to nine Indians were killed as well as an Italian diplomat and a French film maker.

The Pakistanis had been working on a road leading south from Kandahar city to the Panjwai district.

Reuters