3 American doctors killed at their work place

US officials say that three Americans have been shot dead by a policeman at a hospital in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

The attack was a "blow to the confidence of foreign aid workers", according to BBC.

A spokesman for Afghanistan's interior ministry described the people killed as "medical staff".

The hospital is specialised in children's and maternal health. It is run by Cure, a small US Christian charity. Two others were reported wounded.

The attacker, who shot himself afterwards, is in police custody. His motive remains unclear, officials say.

The US embassy in Kabul tweeted that it was "with great sadness, we confirm that three Americans were killed in the attack on Cure Hospital". It also added that no other information would be released for the moment.

Security forces personnel quickly arrived at the scene of the attack.

The Cure hospital usually employs a number of foreign nationals. According to Kabul police, a group of five or six foreigners were entering the hospital in western Kabul, early today, when a policeman at a nearby checkpoint opened fire, before turning his weapon on himself.

The policeman's name is Ayunullah. He worked for the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF), which is assigned to guard the hospital. Mr. Ayunullah's family members are being questioned in the eastern city of Jalalabad.

The hospital has 100 beds and it was taken over by Cure Charity seven years ago and restored it to specialise in providing healthcare for women and children. The hospital employs 27 doctors and 64 nurses, the charity says.