Skip to main content

Afghan road project attacked

The severe risk of working in Afghanistan was highlighted when Taliban insurgents attacked a road construction firm in Paktia Province.
February 29, 2012 Read time: 1 min
The severe risk of working in Afghanistan was highlighted when Taliban insurgents attacked a road construction firm in Paktia Province. During the five hour shoot-out between the Taliban and security personnel for the construction firm, a number of the company's employees were killed. Estimates suggest that several of the Taliban attackers were also killed. The numbers have not been confirmed. Afghanistan is currently seeing investment in its road connections, with the 2332 World Bank having provided financing in a bid to boost transport and help rebuild the country's shattered economy. However these are relatively easy targets for insurgents. The Taliban have attacked several projects that have been put forward by the Afghan Government in a bid to undermine the administration. Foreign road construction workers have been a particular target, with several having been abducted from camps.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Foreign investors eye expansion into Russian road-building industry
    March 18, 2016
    The Russian road sector looks set for international investment - Eugene Gerden writes Amid the ongoing recovery of the Russian economy from the effect of Western sanctions, foreign investors are considering accelerating their activities in the Russian road building industry. In recent months the establishment of joint ventures with local road building companies has become no longer as profitable for foreign investors as it was in the past. As a result the majority of foreign investors are considering
  • Brazil infrastructure projects being privatised?
    May 18, 2015
    The Brazilian Government is considering increasing the number of projects being privatised in a bid to boost investment in the country. Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff has suggested increasing the number of federal roads included in the privatisation programme from four to 11. The economic team has presented 20 new road stretches to be considered for inclusion in the programme. These routes will be studied in order to determine which will generate the most interest from the private sector, with six or se
  • Afghanistan-Pakistan road link funding
    June 21, 2018
    A funding package worth US$460 million is being provided by the World Bank’s International Development Association to pay for the upgrade to the Afghanistan-Pakistan road upgrade.
  • Papua New Guinea is set for extensive road bridge work upgrades
    January 21, 2015
    Papua New Guinea is set to start road and bridge upgrades that could cost upwards of US$576 million. Work on bridges will be paid partly through agreements with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, amounting to around US$53 million, and the Asian Development Bank which is putting in nearly $32 million. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs has also earmarked $101 million to upgrade of arterial roads to standard concrete in the port city of Lae, the capital of Morobe Province. Lae, the