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UN to relocate Afghanistan staff UN to relocate Afghanistan staff
(about 1 hour later)
The UN says it is to temporarily relocate 600 of its "non-essential" foreign staff in Afghanistan. The UN says it will temporarily relocate 600 of its "non-essential" foreign staff in Afghanistan.
This would allow measures to bolster security at UN accommodation. They would then return to resume work in the country, the statement added. The personnel would return to work once security was strengthened at unsecured accommodation used by the UN, it said.
The move follows last week's attack when Taliban suicide bombers killed five UN workers and three Afghans when at a hostel in the capital, Kabul. The UN said the transfer would not affect work such as aid delivery, as this was done by local Afghan staff.
The move follows a dawn raid by the Taliban last week on a hostel in the capital, Kabul, which left five UN workers and three Afghans dead.
The attack on the private Bekhtar guesthouse in the Shar-i-Naw district last Wednesday was the deadliest on the UN in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001.
On Monday, also citing security concerns, the UN halted long-term development work in north-western Pakistan, a region on the border with Afghanistan that is widely regarded as a haven for Taliban and al-Qaeda militants.
'No evacuation'
The head of the UN's Afghan mission, Kai Eide, said some of the staff - mostly "non-front line" personnel - would be moved within the country, some others outside.
Security was tightened in Kabul after the guesthouse raid
"We are not talking about pulling out. We are not talking about evacuation," the Norwegian diplomat told a Kabul news conference on Thursday.
The temporary relocation of staff was likely to take three to four weeks, the UN said.
The UN has up to 1,300 international staff based in Afghanistan.The UN has up to 1,300 international staff based in Afghanistan.
The dawn attack on the private Bekhtar guesthouse in the Shar-i-Naw district was the deadliest on the UN in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001. The 600 staff to be withdrawn represent 12% of the total UN workforce - including local staff - in Afghanistan.
'Minimum disruption' The personnel to be moved come from all UN agencies and different Afghan cities.
The head of the UN's Afghan mission, Kai Eide, said some of the staff - mostly "non-frontline" personnel - would be moved within the country, some others outside. In last week's attack, UN employees tried to flee as three heavily armed Taliban militants hiding explosive vests under police uniforms stormed the hostel.
In a Kabul news conference on Thursday, he denied it was an evacuation.
The UN said earlier in a statement: "Every effort will be made to minimise disruption to our activities while these additional security steps are being taken."
The temporary relocation of staff was likely to take three to four weeks, a UN spokesman in Kabul said.
The move would not affect key UN work such as aid delivery, as this was done by local Afghan staff, he added.
The 600 staff represent 12% of the total UN workforce - international and local staff - in Afghanistan, the BBC's Richard Coleburn in Kabul says.
The personnel being withdrawn come from all UN agencies and different Afghan cities.
UN employees tried to flee as three Taliban militants with suicide vests, grenades and machine guns stormed the hostel.
The three gunmen were shot dead.The three gunmen were shot dead.
The guesthouse - which was used by the UN and other international organisations - was gutted by fire.The guesthouse - which was used by the UN and other international organisations - was gutted by fire.
Foreign officials have warned that the Kabul government's reputation for corruption and the recent crisis surrounding the fraud-marred presidential election are fuelling the Taliban insurgency.
Security has continued to deteriorate, despite the presence of more than 100,000 Nato-led troops, including about 68,000 Americans.
US President Barack Obama is currently considering a request from the US commander in Afghanistan for another 40,000 troops.
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown last month announced 500 extra British soldiers would be sent.
Are you in Afghanistan? Do you work for the UN and are you being moved? What do you think of the UN's decision? How can the security situation in the country be improved?Please send us your comments using the form below.Are you in Afghanistan? Do you work for the UN and are you being moved? What do you think of the UN's decision? How can the security situation in the country be improved?Please send us your comments using the form below.
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