The Afghan government would compensate the families of the 11 murdered Chinese workers who fell victim in the terrorist attack of a Chinese construction compound in northern Afghanistan, Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai said Sunday.  

"We would compensate all those murdered in the terrorist attack in Kunduz," the minister assured Chinese Ambassador Sun Yuxi at a meeting held in the Finance Ministry in Kabul Sunday morning.

In the gruesome attack that occurred on June 10 in the Jalowgir area 36 km south of Kunduz City, the capital of Kunduz Province, 11 Chinese workers were murdered and five others injured.

The minister revealed the scheme of US$5,000 in compensation for each victim.

"President Hamid Karzai has instructed all the concerned authorities in central as well as provincial government to ensure the protection of Chinese workers and the speedy trial of criminals behind the terrorist attack," the minister added.

Afghan authorities have so far detained 14 suspects in the cold-blooded attack.

Earlier the Chinese Railway Shisiju Group, to which the victims belonged, had announced the compensation for their families.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2004)