UK hostage in Afghanistan was killed by US, not Insurgents, Hague confirms

Norgrove's death was first attributed to an insurgent detonating a suicide vest, an account that was reported around the world until doubts were voiced.

British aid worker Linda Norgrove

(LONDON IRNA) - Foreign Secretary William Hague announced Thursday that British aid worker Linda Norgrove was killed by a grenade thrown by US soldiers sent to rescue her.

A joint US-UK investigation found that US special forces had not immediately notified officers further up the chain of command about the grenade.

Hague said the US soldiers involved had been disciplined for not informing commanders about the incident in October. It was reported that the US elite Seal Six Team did not see that the 36-year old aid worker had broken away from her captors.

He said that with the agreement of Prime Minister David Cameron he had agreed to the rescue bid and that the operation was launched by highly experienced personnel in extreme mountain terrain.

Norgrove's death was first attributed to an insurgent detonating a suicide vest, an account that was reported around the world until doubts were voiced.

Concern was separately raised over the failed military rescue attempt, with local police chiefs in the mountainous Kunar region reportedly saying that they wanted negotiations to continue to try to secure the Scottish aid worker’s release.

Source: Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA