Saviour of 2,000 Afghans who saved a baby's life executed by the Taliban

• Dr Karen Woo was with nine others in the Kuran Wa Munja district of Badakhshan when they were killed

By REBECCA EVANS

A British doctor shot dead  by the Taliban was part of a humanitarian mission that had helped 2,000 Afghans, an inquest heard yesterday.

Dr Karen Woo was executed alongside nine other aid workers after they tried to cross a mountain river in August last year.

The 36-year-old, who was due to get married a fortnight later, suffered  ‘catastrophic’ injuries from two gunshot wounds in the attack.

Killed: Karen Woo who specialised in maternal and neo-natal care was on her third visit to Afghanistan

Shortly before her death she had helped to save the life of a baby boy who was struggling to breathe. 

Her team had been halfway through a 120-mile, three-week expedition in the northern Nuristan Province when they were ambushed.

It was one of the worst attacks on aid workers in the region for 30 years.

The inquest in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, heard that Dr Woo, who specialised in maternal and neo-natal care, was on her third visit to Afghanistan at the time.

Hertfordshire coroner Edward Thomas said ‘he had nothing but admiration’ for her incredible life and the work she did delivering medical supplies to a region where one child in five does not reach its first birthday.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2074182/Saviour-2-000-Afghans-saved-babys-life-executed-Taliban.html#ixzz1ghFt4dWB