At least five UN staff killed in attack on Kabul guest house
28 October 2009 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his top envoy in Afghanistan have strongly condemned today’s attack on a guest house in Kabul that claimed the lives of at least five United Nations staff members and injured several others, and pledged that it will not deter the world body’s work in the country.
“This is very dark day for the UN in Afghanistan,” Kai Eide, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN mission to the country (UNAMA), said in a statement.
The UN said it could not at this stage provide the names or nationalities of the victims of attack, which was reportedly carried out early this morning by three Taliban militants with suicide vests, grenades and machine guns.
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the despicable and brutal killing, for which the Taliban has claimed responsibility in an apparent effort to disrupt the second round of the presidential election,” said Mr. Ban.
Afghans are scheduled to go to the polls on 7 November for the presidential run-off between incumbent Hamid Karzai and challenger Abdullah Abdullah.
“This indeed is a loss to all members of the UN family working together to support Afghanistan at this critical juncture,” the Secretary-General stated.
Speaking to reporters in New York, Mr. Ban added that those who gave their lives in today’s “shocking and shameless” attack came to Afghanistan armed not with guns or bullets. “They came with a more powerful weapon – hope. Hope for a better day for Afghanistan and a commitment to help its people build a better future.
“We will not be deterred from this noble mission,” he stated.
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