Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Kabul (BNA) A U.S. Army veteran who became an aid worker was shot dead in her Kabul apartment on Sunday night, officials said.
Lisa Akbari, a dual U.S.-Afghan citizen had been living in the Karte Char area of the capital for three years, a senior police official said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to journalists on the matter. Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi also later confirmed that Akbari had been fatally shot.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Akbari was a research manager for the U.S. Army from 2009 – 2013. She subsequently worked for aid agencies in Afghanistan including World Vision.
The U.S. Embassy confirmed Akbari’s death on Monday but declined to comment on the circumstances.
“We offer our sincerest condolences to her family and loved ones on their loss,” the U.S. Embassy official said. “We are providing all possible consular assistance.”
A suspect was detained about 2.5 miles away from the scene of the attack. He was taken to hospital to be treated for injuries sustained during his arrest and had yet to be questioned early Monday.
The victim’s sister Mayana Aliah Akbari paid tribute to her “beautiful” sibling on Facebook social media.
“R.I.P. to my beautiful older sister Lisa. You were taken soon and very suddenly while in Afghanistan and this just feels like a living nightmare,” she wrote. “I know God got back his angel and is proud of you for all that you’ve done on Earth while you were still living. I promise the psychopath that killed you will have justice served to him.”
According to the slain woman’s LinkedIn profile, Akbari studied at UNLV, the University of Wyoming and the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
The senior police official said that Afghanistan’s NDS intelligence agency was now leading the investigation and had confiscated personal items from the suspect’s apartment.
