The victim, who worked for the aid group German Agro Action, was shot dead on Thursday (March 8) while traveling to inspect construction sites.

Sar-e Pul's provincial governor, Sayed Eqbal Munib, told RFE/RL today the attack appeared to be a "terrorist act" rather than a robbery. He said authorities were investigating possible links between the killers and the Taliban.

"It was a harrowing incident. Our police are still in the region and they have besieged it. They have transferred five to six people [of those arrested] to the security office and they are being investigated."

The area is far from the southern regions of Afghanistan where NATO-led forces are fighting Taliban militants. But it is home to numerous criminal gangs.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai today condemned the killing, saying Afghans appreciated all foreigners who help with the country's reconstruction.