Afghan Gunmen Murder Christian Aid Workers

Two Christian aid workers were killed in a vicious attack on an Afghanistan street Thursday.

WorldWatch Monitor reports gunmen on a motorcycle shot to death two women who worked for International Assistance Mission as they sat in a taxi in the city of Herat.

It's unclear who carried out the attack, but several Christian aid groups have been attacked in Afghanistan in recent years.

IAM is an openly Christian group that serves the Afghan people through healthcare and economic development projects. It has worked in the country for nearly 50 years.

The women, both in their fifties, came to Afghanistan from their native Finland 16 years ago.

A close Finnish friend said the women had a "profound reputation" in Afghanistan, and the country will be deeply affected by their loss.

"They were so full of love for Afghans: no job was too small for them to alleviate the suffering they saw all around them," another Finnish aid worker said.