March 11, 2010 (Christian Today): Christian aid agency World Vision has suspended its operations in Pakistan after suspected militants Wednesday attacked its office, killing six of its employees and wounding several others.

Officials in Pakistan said the militants armed with grenades and riffles stormed the World Vision building in Mansehra district and set off a bomb before opening fire at the staff.

World Vision in a statement said it was "mourning the brutal and senseless deaths" of its staff after the "unprovoked attack by gunmen." Two women were among the six dead.

In addition to those killed, eight employees were hospitalized with injuries and four remain in critical-but-stable condition.

World Vision, one of the largest and well-networked Christian aid organization, had its operations in northern Pakistan since October 2005, when a devastating earthquake killed thousands.

All of World Vision’s operations in the country have been suspended for the time being.

World Vision said no threatening letters were received prior to the attack. AP Television News footage showed the aid group's office seriously damaged, leaving the ground strewn with rubble and the concrete walls with bullet holes.

All the victims of the assault were Pakistanis. The international aid organisation said it sees the attack not only as an attack on its own local staff, but also on the Pakistani people themselves.

The area where the attack took place in fact borders the troubled Swat Valley and is said to have been occupied by Taliban after a major offensive by the Pakistani military last summer. (Babu Thomas)