3 aid workers killed in Afghan attack

Gunmen opened fire on an aid group's convoy Wednesday, killing an American, a Canadian and an Irish national, Afghan authorties said.

The attack in a province south of Kabul also killed the women's Aghan driver, officials said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault.

The women worked for the New York-based aid group, International Rescue Committee, said Abdullah Wardak, governor of Logar province where the assault occurred.

The aid agency, which provides relief to refugees and victims of armed conflict around the world, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The aid workers were in a two-car convoy that was headed to Kabul when gunmen opened fire on them in Pul-i-Alam, the capital of Logar, Wardak said.

Earlier this month, aid groups in Afghanistan isssed a report that said 19 of their workers have been killed in the country this year. The deaths Wednesday add to the count.

The groups, in a report issued by the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief, said the attacks have forced them to scale back on relief work.

"This year there have been over 84 such incidents, including 21 in June, more than in any other month in the last six years," the report said. "So far this year 19 NGO staff have been killed, which already exceeds the total number of NGO workers killed last year."