In November 2008 Paula Loyd, a civilian contractor and social scientist working for the Human Terrain program in Afghanistan, was doused with flammable liquid and set on fire by an Afghan man. The Taliban took credit for the attack.
The Taliban has a long history of setting women on fire as a way of punishing them for perceived immodesty.
Paula died from her injuries on January 7th 2009.
See how the “Fair and Balanced” Reuters reported the attack.
KABUL (Reuters) – A U.S. civilian shot dead an Afghan civilian who tried to set fire to another American on Tuesday, the U.S. military said.
At least 4,000 people have been killed in Afghanistan this year, some 1,000 of them civilians. It is still rare though for foreign civilians to be directly engaged in the conflict.
The shooting occurred after an altercation, a U.S. military statement said.
“Reports indicate the local national was shot after pouring and igniting a flammable liquid on another U.S. civilian. The civilian sustained serious burns and was transported to the nearest coalition forces medical facility for treatment,” it said.
I would say that the Afgan did more than “try” to set Paula Loyd on fire. A religious fanatic burns an American woman alive but Reuters reports it as the death of an Afgan “civilian”. No agenda there.