Military

DATE= 06/15/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-290999

TITLE=AFGHAN AID ATTACKS (S ONLY)

BYLINE=GARY THOMAS

DATELINE=KABUL

CONTENT=

VOICE AT:

INTRO: International aid agencies are threatening to pull out of northern Afghanistan because of a spate of attacks on aid workers. A senior U-N official told three top warlords Saturday that the attacks and intimidation must stop. VOA correspondent Gary Thomas reports from Kabul.

TEXT: U-N Special Envoy to Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi met with three northern warlords on the fringes of Afghanistan's grand elective assembly Saturday to complain about new attacks on aid workers.

A U-N spokesman, Manuel de Almeida e Silva, said at least three attacks occurred on aid workers in the north during the past week. In the most vicious incident, a foreign aid worker was dragged from her car by armed men and gang-raped. The Afghan worker accompanying her was beaten.

In other incidents, an aid convoy was fired upon and a clinic was attacked.

Mr. Brahimi has also raised the issue with interim president Hamid Karzai, warning that international aid agencies may halt their efforts in the north if such attacks continue.

Mr. Almeida said the three warlords who control that region -- General Abdul Rashid Dostum, Atta Mohammad, and Mohammed Mohaqik -- have promised to take action. (signed)

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