British woman killed in Afghanistan

Gayle Williams was shot dead by gunmen on a motorcycle as she walked to work in the capital, Kabul, at about 8am local time on Monday morning.

She was a volunteer with British-registered Christian charity Serve Afghanistan, which primarily works with disabled people in the war-torn country.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the shooting, saying Ms Williams was killed because she was spreading Christianity.

But Mike Lyth, the Carlisle-based chairman of Serve Afghanistan's board, rejected this explanation.

He said: "They will make any excuse. They probably saw there was a Christian organisation operating in Kabul and thought, 'this is how we can kill it'.

"We are Christians - that is what gives us the motivation to go into a dangerous and difficult country to try to help.

"But she was not involved in proselytisation."

Mr Lyth described Ms Williams as a "lovely girl", adding: "She was the life and soul of the party, a great adventurer. She will be sorely missed - a great girl."

Meanwhile, in northern Afghanistan, a suicide bomber killed two German soldiers and five children in Kunduz province, said Mohammad Omar, the provincial governor. Nato confirmed that some of its soldiers were killed or wounded in the attack.