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Analysis: Afghanistan's Aid Challenge

Council on Foreign Relations

August 21, 2007
Prepared by: Greg Bruno

The abduction of twenty-three South Koreans by the Taliban has renewed fears of escalating violence against aid workers in Afghanistan. The South Koreans, abducted on July 19, are members of a Christian group reported to be providing medical and other aid to Afghans. Two men in the group have been killed (Reuters), and two ailing women were set free in what kidnappers called a “gesture of goodwill” (Reuters). The remaining nineteen hostages have launched a hunger strike (Yonhap) protesting their treatment. Meanwhile, South Korean embassy officials ordered (AP) their aid organizations out of the country by the end of August. South Korea, which has Christian aid groups active in 160 countries, has spent some $60 million on reconstruction (IRIN) in Afghanistan since 2002.

Attacks on aid workers have become increasingly common since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion. According to the blog NGO Security, twenty-four aid workers were killed in 2006, up from twelve in 2003. Between April and May, UN World Food Program workers suffered a dozen attacks (Independent) while transporting goods—as many as they suffered the previous ten months. Troublingly, violence has also spread throughout the country where it was once confined to the south and east.

Seth Jones, an expert with the RAND Corporation, says the shift may represent a change in insurgents’ tactics. By targeting international NGOs, Jones says, the Taliban and armed gangs hope to encourage foreign governments to end their involvement (AP) in Afghanistan.

Read the rest of this article on the cfr.org website.

Copyright 2007 by the Council on Foreign Relations. This material is republished on GlobalSecurity.org with specific permission from the cfr.org. Reprint and republication queries for this article should be directed to cfr.org.