Three American doctors were killed by an Afghan security guard at a Kabul hospital Thursday, according to the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan.
The shooting, which unfolded at Cure International Hospital, was the latest in a string of attacks on foreign civilians in the Afghan capital this year.
The U.S. Embassy announced the deaths on Twitter, writing, "With great sadness we confirm that three Americans were killed in the attack on Cure hospital."
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Cure International Hospital is a 100-bed medical facility that is run by a Cure, a U.S.-based Christian charity that operates hospitals and programs in 29 countries. The Afghan facility specializes in assisting disabled Afghans and has a premature birthing unit, the New York Times reported.
While it is unclear if Cure's connection to America and its faith affiliation were part of the catalyst for the attack, the incident marks the second time in less than a month that a Christian charity has come under assault in Afghanistan.
The Taliban attempted to storm Roots of Peace, a U.S. based agricultural group in late March, according to the Washington Post. The motive for this latest attack is unclear.
The gunman reportedly open fired at hospital staff while doctors and nurses were arriving around 9 a.m., according to the Washington Post.
"Five doctors had entered the compound of the hospital and were walking toward the building when the guard opened fire on them," said Ministry of Health spokesperson Kanishka Bektash Torkystani. "Three foreign doctors were killed and two other doctors were wounded.’"
Afghan policemen stand guard at the gate of the Cure hospital in Kabul on April 24, 2014. A guard shot dead three foreigners at a US charity hospital in Kabul on April 24, the Afghan government said, with hospital staff saying at least one of the victims was a foreign doctor. (SHAH MARAI/AFP/Getty Images)
There are conflicting reports surrounding injuries sustained by the shooter. While Sediq Seddiqi, a spokesperson for Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior, said that the guard was shot during the incident, another official told the Times that the officer tried to shoot himself after the attack.
The outlet reports that the individual, who had reportedly recently been assigned to the hospital, is alive and being treated for his injuries at the facility. He is being identified by Seddiqi as a man named Ayudin, an Afghan who has been on the police force in Kabul for two years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.
