Tributes to murdered aid worker

Khalil Dale was abducted at gunpoint in January while working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the province of Baluchistan.

On Sunday it emerged that Mr Dale, who was 60, had been murdered.

His kidnappers left a note on his body saying he had been killed because they had not received a ransom.

Yesterday his brother Ian, friends Zia and Dora and fiancee Anne said in a statement that they were “shocked and saddened beyond comprehension for the senseless and brutal way in which our beloved Khalil was murdered”.

The statement added: “For all who knew him, his deeply caring and considerate nature was what left a lasting impression.”

It follows tributes paid by Khalil’s half-brother Peter Dale in an exclusive interview with the Yorkshire Post yesterday.

Peter, who is 21 years older than Khalil, said that his brother knew that the humanitarian work he was doing was dangerous but was prepared to accept these risks and had died doing the job that he loved.

Khalil, who had spent the past 30 years working in some of the most dangerous parts of the world including Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia, was born in York in a private nursing home close to the Minster.

His family moved to Manchester when he was a small child and then to Dumfries, Scotland, where he went on to work as a nurse.

He changed his name to Khalil from Kenneth when he converted to Islam.

Peter, who shares the same father as Khalil, saw him regularly as he grew up and had stayed in touch with him as his younger half-brother travelled around the world.

He told Tuesday’s Yorkshire Post of his pride at Khalil’s achievements.

Peter, who lives in Bramham, near Leeds, said: “Of course we are very proud of him. He was very brave to do what he did but he would not have seen it like this.”

“I call him Ken, because that is what he has always been to me. I told him he was mad but he said he absolutely loved it in Quetta. He thought it was wonderful to be working there.”

The statement from Khalil Dale’s brother Ian, his friends Zia and Dora and fiancee Anne yesterday said: “We are shocked and saddened beyond comprehension for the senseless and brutal way in which our beloved Khalil was murdered.

“At this painful time we feel many mixed emotions, including hurt, grief, confusion and anger. We particularly need time and space to grieve our loss, and do respectfully ask that the media respect this.

“During Khalil’s abduction and following his death, there has been an overwhelming flood of support, kindness and love from all corners of the globe, and we are very humbled and grateful for this empathy and solidarity.

“In particular, we wish to thank the Red Cross and Red Crescent family across the world for their support and for their focus throughout on Khalil’s safe release. We have been with them throughout this ordeal, and we know they share our grief. For all who knew him, his deeply caring and considerate nature was what left a lasting impression. His tireless work with the most impoverished and vulnerable people of the world was a reflection of his beliefs in love, in solidarity and in compassion. He was a true humanitarian.

“We do not wish to see the inhumanity and brutality of his death debase the memories we have of Khalil. Without question, Khalil was amongst the most gentle, most kind and most loving person we have ever known. We will not let the events of the past week sully Khalil’s memory. Khalil was a better man than that. We pity those who took his life.

“He achieved much in this world. His life was one of love, not hatred. His life was one of kindness, not cruelty. His life was one of beauty and joy.

“We will always remember our Khalil, our Ken, as a man who brought joy to us and countless others.”