03/06/2004

UN condemns murder of aid workers in Afghanistan

The murder of five members of the non-governmental organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in Afghanistan has been condemned by the UN today as an "outrage".

Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative Jean Arnault voiced his "shock and outrage" at “yet another tragic and unacceptable act directed at the aid community”. He called on the Afghan authorities to bring the killers to justice.

Two MSF staff from Afghanistan and three from Holland, Norway and Belgium were killed yesterday in northern Afghanistan “in what appears to have been a brutal and premeditated ambush,” Mr Arnault said.

A UN helicopter left Kandahar this morning to transport the bodies of the three international staff back to Kabul for eventual repatriation by MSF.

During a briefing to the Security Council in New York on 27 May, Mr Arnault stressed that security in the country remained "insufficient" and noted that in recent months the situation had "evolved negatively".

“Sadly and worryingly, yesterday's attack confirms this assessment,” he added today.

The special envoy has directed all required UN assets in Afghanistan to be made available to support MSF "in this most difficult hour".

He also called on the Afghan people and leaders to reject those groups which commit acts of violence and to support the efforts to build a !more peaceful, just and prosperous country".

(gmcg)

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