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GENEVA, Sept 17 (AFP) - Two Rwandan Red Cross workers and a female youth ministry worker were murdered as their vehicle was ambushed near Gisenyi, western Rwanda, the Red Cross federation said here Wednesday.
The driver, Shabani Nsanzebahiga, and a member of the local Kanama Red Cross identified as Mr. Bucyensenge were escorting the ministry employee from a youth camp at Nkamira to Gisenyi last Friday when the attack occurred.
The vehicle, which was marked with the Rwandan Red Cross emblem, had slowed down for a road block when it was sprayed with gunshots, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said.
The driver lost control and all passengers were killed either by gunshots or subsequently stabbed to death.
Their belongings were stolen and the vehicle was ransacked.
"We are shocked at the killings and extremely concerned about the blatant disrespect for the emblem that was shown in this attack," Bekele Geleta, director of the federation's Africa department said here.
Rwandan Red Cross workers are involved in a number of activities in the prefecture, including helping survivors of an attack on Mudende camp in August in which 148 refugees from the former Zaire were killed and the clinic destroyed.
The local Red Cross is considering suspending the transportation of sick refugees from Mudende to facilities in Gisenyi along the road where the ambush, and reportedly a number of others during the past few weeks, have occurred, federation spokeswoman Marie-Francoise Borel said.
"But no decision has been taken yet," she added.
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