Afghans hold candlelight vigil for slain Japanese doctor

Afghans on Thursday held candlelight vigils in capital Kabul and parts of Nangarhar and Parwan provinces to pay homage to Tetsu Nakamura, a Japanese Doctor who was gunned down in an attack in Nangarhar city earlier this week.

Nakamura headed the NGO Peace Medical Service and made great contributions in areas of medical care in the Nangarhar province. His death sparked a strong backlash and an outpouring of grief from the Afghan people with whom he spent thirty years of his life, reported Tolo News.

Nakamura, 73, came to Afghanistan in the 1980s to treat leprosy. He had been awarded honorary Afghan citizenship by President Ghani. Outside of his contribution in the areas of medical care, he had contributed in the building of 11 dams, over 1500 wells and a 25.5 kilometres long canal.

Nakamura, along with his driver and bodyguards, were killed after unidentified gunmen attacked their vehicle in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar on Wednesday.

The gunmen fled the scene after the incident and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.