A TEAM OF INTERNATIONAL AID workers who were murdered by the Taliban had given one of their killers a lift.

The sole survivor of the attack, an Afghan man who was driving one of the aid team’s vehicles, has spoken to AP of the moments leading to their deaths. Six Americans, three Afghans, one German and one British woman were shot dead and robbed by the militants.

Saffiullah said the team stopped to give a lift to three men who were hitching on the side of the road. When the team stopped by a swollen river, two of the hitchhikers continued on their way, but the third man disappeared then returned among a group of 10 who attacked the team.

The medics, their cook and a guard were shot and killed by a grenade. Saffiullah said he had pleaded with the gunmen and quoted the Quran in an attempt to save his life. The militants forced him to carry weapons and baggage and accompany them on a walk for several hours.

The driver said the men appeared to be organised for the attack:

They had leadership. They were well-organized. They were militants.

The International Assistance Mission said the aid workers were not missionaries, as claimed by the Taliban, but were an eye care team working in Nuristan on the invitation of local communities. The agency says it is awaiting the results of an Afghan investigation into the killings, but said:

Our own research suggests that the murders were not a robbery as initially reported in the press. We are now working on the assumption that the attack was an opportunistic ambush by a group of non-local fighters.