Latest news with #aidworker
RNZ News
30-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Father of Kiwi killed in Ukraine says government offered 'virtually nothing' in support
Andrew Bagshaw. Photo: Supplied / Susan and Philip Bagshaw The father of a New Zealand aid worker killed in Ukraine says his family received no support from our government. Professor Phil Bagshaw, father of Andrew Bagshaw, hopes the family of Shan-Le Kearns receive more support than they did. "We got some support from the UK government. We got virtually nothing from the New Zealand government," Phil Bagshaw told Midday Report. "Both my wife and I hope the New Zealand government is more supportive of this young man's family then they were of us." New Zealand aid worker Andrew Bagshaw, 47, was killed in eastern Ukraine in January 2023, alongside fellow British volunteer Christopher Parry. The pair were killed while trying to rescue a civilian from the Soledar region. On Thursday, reports emerged that 26-year-old Shan-Le Kearns was killed in Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had not yet received any confirmation from Ukraine authorities and was urgently seeking information. It said the process may take some time given the situation on the ground in Ukraine. When contacted about Prof Bagshaw's claims, a Mfat spokesperson said: "The New Zealand Government condemned the killings of Andrew Bagshaw and his British colleague Chris Parry in Ukraine in January 2023. For privacy reasons, no other information about the assistance provided can be provided." Kearns would be the fourth New Zealander known to have died in Ukraine. Dominic Abelen, 28, was killed on 23 August 2022; Bagshaw, 47, on 6 January 2023; and Kane Te Tai, 38, on 20 March 2023. Shan-le Kearns. Photo: Supplied Prof Phil Bagshaw, who founded the Canterbury Charity Hospital, said at the time of his son's death, his family received lots of "confusing" and "very distressing" information. "We hoped we'd get some good information from the New Zealand government but what we got was incorrect and unhelpful, I'm afraid," he said. "We were told Andrew was killed accidentally by an artillery shell, when in fact, that clearly was not true. In fact, we got more information from his friends in Ukraine who did know what had happened to him." Post-mortem reports found Parry and Andrew Bagshaw were both killed by gunshot wounds to the head and other parts of the body , rather than the initial official explanation of their death, which was that their vehicle was hit by artillery fire. He urges Kearns' family to reach out to the team of people Kearns worked with, as they will be a reliable source of information. Prof Phil Bagshaw expressed his deep sympathies to Kearns' family. "You have good days and you have not good days. This is something that you live with." Andrew Bagshaw in Ukraine. Photo: Supplied/Grzegorz Rybak Prof Phil Bagshaw, alongside his wife Dame Sue Bagshaw, have always maintained their son was the victim of a war crime and they want it to be investigated by the International Criminal Court at the Hague. "I can tell you we will not rest until our son's death is listed as a war crime which is held against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in the International Criminal Court," he said. "We've forgiven those who killed him but we do not forgive Putin. We want him to stand trial, even in absentia, for the death of our son." "This war is a crime against humanity and the New Zealand government should be speaking out actively against it."
Associated Press
12-05-2025
- Associated Press
More than 100 killed in jihadi attack in northern Burkina Faso
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — An attack by a jihadi group in northern Burkina Faso killed more than 100 people, mostly soldiers, an aid worker and local residents said Monday. The attack on several locations, including a military base and the long besieged strategic town of Djibo, occurred early Sunday, said an aid worker actively involved in dialogues in Burkina Faso's hard-hit communities. A student from the area said her father was among those killed. Both individuals spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on the condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisals. A jihadi group aligned with Al-Qaida known as Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin or JNIM, which is active in the Sahel region, claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack. ____ McMakin reported from Dakar, Senegal ____ Follow AP's Africa coverage at:
The Independent
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Australian former soldier killed by explosive device in Ukraine while working for aid organisation
An Australian aid worker who helped clear landmines in Ukraine has been killed in the war-ravaged country. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the death of the man, a former Australian soldier, following media reports the charity worker died after an an improved explosive device went off in a building. "I can confirm he wasn't a participant in the conflict, he was volunteering with a humanitarian organisation,' Mr Albanese said, adding the government was providing support for the man's family, but did not provide any specifics. "Out of respect for the family's privacy and consistent with our obligations, there is a limit to what we can say publicly at this time.' The fatal incident occurred in the Ukrainian city of Izyum, according to a report by the ABC, which cited an unidentified military source in Ukraine. The public broadcaster said the details of the death were yet to be formally verified. The ABC reported the Australian man was working for the US-based Prevail Together. The charity, which supports Ukrainian government agencies with landmine clearance, trauma medical care and humanitarian assistance, said in a statement that some team members were severely injured in an incident on May 6. "We are still gathering information and working alongside military and police officials to uncover the details," the organisation said.
