Seven Afghan mine clearers have been shot dead in two separate ambushes in northern Afghanistan as a security advisor for aid workers warned of a deterioration in part of the country that had been thought of as relatively safe.

On Sunday a convoy of men working for Afghan Technical Consultants, a UN-funded organisation, were stopped by gunmen who opened fire on the first vehicle and shot at the others, including an ambulance, as they turned round and tried to escape.

Some of the deminers tried to shield themselves with their equipment, according to ATC’s director, Kefayatullah Eblagh. He told AFP news agency that it was the worst attack on its staff in 18 years of operating in Afghanistan. “Three people stopped the vehicle and started shooting at them without saying anything,” he said.

Seven men were also injured, including one who was in a serious condition.

Then yesterday a deminer and his driver from The Mine Detection and Dog Centre were shot dead in the northern province of Kunduz.

The first attack happened in a remote area of Jawzjan Province, a predominantly ethnic Uzbek area, which is staunchly anti-Taleban.

But there is thought to be some Taleban sympathy in ethnic Pashtun pockets of the north and there have been increasing numbers of guerrilla attacks in the past couple of years, although far fewer than in the south and east.

Nic Lee of the Afghanistan NGO Safety Office (Anso) said that it was not clear who had carried out the attack on the deminers, which came a week after a similar ambush killed another Afghan aid worker in the same area.

He said: “There have been hit-and-run attacks in nearby provinces and district governors have been assassinated in the north recently, which can be a sign that someone is moving in, either criminals or Taleban.

“The Taleban don’t have significant activity in the north, but in areas like the south and west we have seen criminals acting on their behalf and that is something to be concerned about. We are definitely seeing a deterioration in security.” Many attacks in Afghanistan are carried out by bandits or drug smuggling gangs who want to undermine local security.

Anso figures show that half of the aid workers killed or injured last year were attacked in the north, which is considered by far the less dangerous half of Afghanistan. Mr Lee said: “NGOs are dying in higher numbers in what are classified as safer areas, mainly because of criminality and impunity.”

Last year 15 aid workers were killed in Afghanistan. So far this year there have already been nine deaths. Kidnappings have also increased. Between January and March last year there were two but so far this year there have been 12.

Deminers have traditionally been left alone by combatants and bandits in Afghanistan, even during the worst years of lawlessness and violence, partly because of their high profile in the dangerous job of clearing millions of landmines left in the country.

Among their ranks are some of the most experienced men in the country at negotiating access to difficult areas. They are a target, however. They carry valuable equipment and sometimes clear landmines that warlords want to see left in place.

Last year, six deminers were killed in two separate attacks in different parts of Afghanistan.

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