Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
UN to evacuate 600 foreign staff from Afghanistan
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
UN to evacuate 600 foreign staff from Afghanistan
AFP - Friday, November 6
Send
IM Story
Print
UN to evacuate 600 foreign staff from Afghanistan
KABUL (AFP) – The United Nations announced on Thursday it will evacuate more than half its international staff based in Afghanistan after a deadly Taliban attack on a guest house for UN workers.
But the UN said it had no intention of abandoning Afghanistan, where 100,000 US-led foreign troops are battling a bloody insurgency eight years after the extremist Taliban regime was driven from power.
About 600 expatriate staff, from a total of 1,100 foreigners, will be temporarily relocated either within Afghanistan or abroad, UN spokesman Dan McNorton told AFP.
There was no immediate breakdown, but McNorton said the vast majority would be leaving the country on a temporary basis.
"The only people who will remain are regarded as essential staff. This is to ensure the safety of all our staff in Afghanistan," he said, adding the evacuations will begin immediately.
The UN has about 5,600 staff in Afghanistan, about 80 percent of whom are Afghans, and the relocations will affect around 12 percent of total deployment.
The decision would be reviewed regularly and was expected to be effective for "a number of weeks while additional security is being put in place," McNorton said. Related article: Iraq model for Afghanistan
In a statement, the UN said it was "fully committed to helping all of Afghanistan's people, as it has been for more than half a century".
"Every effort will be made to minimise disruption to our activities while these additional security steps are being taken," it said.
The move comes eight days after Taliban suicide gunmen stormed a Kabul hostel in a dawn attack that killed five UN workers.
The head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide, denied the evacuation amounted to a withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"We are not pulling out and will not pull out," he told reporters.
"The UN is putting in place immediate additional security measures for its international and Afghan staff.
"We will do what we can to avoid disruption of our work," he added.
Those measures include moving UN staff out of guesthouses and into large, tightly guarded compounds, and reassessing what operations could be directed from a base in Dubai, UN staff told AFP.
Eide has come under criticism over the UN's role in Afghanistan's chaotic election. Hamid Karzai was re-elected president after his challenger withdrew from a run-off, following a first round marred by massive fraud.
Eide on Thursday stepped up warnings that Karzai could lose international support unless his new government seriously tackles corruption. Related article: Future depends on Karzai
"I believe we are now at the critical juncture in the relationship between Afghanistan and the international community," he told reporters.
"There is a belief among some that the international commitment to Afghanistan will continue whatever happens because of the strategic importance of Afghanistan," he said.
"I would like to emphasise that is not correct."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon held talks with security advisers in Kabul earlier this week following the attack at the Bekhtar guest house.
Speaking in the Afghan capital on Monday, Ban said acts of violence would not deter the UN from its work in the country.
"There has been speculation that the United Nations will evacuate Afghanistan.... We will not be deterred, cannot be deterred and must not be deterred, and the work of the United Nations will continue," said Ban.
In the latest violence, a US soldier serving under NATO was killed in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan, the force said Thursday, as authorities reported dozens of militants killed in separate incidents.
The death of the American soldier, part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), took to 460 the number of international troops killed in Afghanistan so far this year.
It is the deadliest of an eight-year anti-insurgency campaign being fought by NATO and US-led forces.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Taiwan hit by 6.0-magnitude quake: govt AFP - 1 hour 10 minutes ago
Vietnam flood toll rises to 98 AFP - 1 hour 13 minutes ago
Recall of envoys escalates Thai-Cambodian tensions AP - 1 hour 44 minutes ago
Cambodia pulls ambassador from Thailand: deputy PM AFP - 1 hour 48 minutes ago
Afghan villagers say NATO strike kills 9 civilians AP - 2 hours 5 minutes ago
News Search
Top Stories
Bank of England pumps billions more into economy
Zurich Financial reports 'solid' earnings after crisis
BNP Paribas reports 44.8-pct quarterly profit leap
New York attorney general files antitrust suit against Intel
Fed seen keeping near-zero rates to spur recovery
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Chinese giant set to buy US oil assets: company
French thinker Levi-Strauss dead at 100
Rage against GM over 10,000 planned job cuts at Opel
X-ray named top achievement by British museum
Reborn Chrysler says it will be leaner, more competitive
More Most Viewed »
Somali centenarian weds 17-year-old
Mobile phone giant Nokia sues Apple over patents
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Thursday, 5 November 2009 Clinton says Israel settlement activity illegitimate
Freed British mercenary returns from E. Guinea
New York attorney general files antitrust suit against Intel
GM re-sets strategy, scraps Opel sale
X-ray named top achievement by British museum
Reborn Chrysler says it will be leaner, more competitive
Mousavi supporters clash with police in Tehran
India registers 500 mln phone customers: official figures
US voices alarm at level of Afghan corruption
Abdullah says Karzai re-election 'illegal'
Mobile phone inventor wants devices to go back to basics
Mercenary Mann returns to UK, relieved plot failed
| International
|
Palestinians threaten Israel with 1-state solution
France's Chirac says prepared to stand trial
| International
|
Time Warner net profit down but raises outlook
US-TECH Summary
Palestinian state may have to be abandoned
Palestinian state may have to be abandoned: Erekat
| International
|
China bureaucratic war over online Warcraft heats up
Israeli navy intercepts arms ship
Israel seizes 'hundreds of tonnes' of arms
Romanian PM nominee torpedoed, aid seen at risk
| International
|
Iraq vote may be delayed, election head warns
Colombia spars with Venezuela in growing crisis
| International
|
Streetcar advocates win, critics lose elections
Italy convicts 23 US agents in CIA kidnapping trial
Microsoft cuts 800 jobs, completes layoff plan
| Technology
|
Detectives set to tear down walls of rapist's home
Pa. robbery victim IDs suspect from old yearbook
Karzai opponent: Re-election was illegitimate
Beatles remasters heading to USB
| Technology
|
Taiwan says China starts building first aircraft carrier
Neighbors of alleged US serial killer 'smelt bodies'
Intel hit by NY antitrust suit, kickbacks alleged
| Technology
|
Philippine rebels deny abducting Irish priest
JPMorgan settlement with SEC worth over $700M
Court worries about stifling prosecutors
Top US officials meet Myanmar junta, Suu Kyi
U.S. urges Karzai to make corruption arrests
Microsoft, Taiwan to set up cloud computing centre
Cambodia makes Thailand's Thaksin adviser: government
Sri Lanka: Top general wasn't questioned by US
Sri Lankans protest police beating death
8 children drown in Indian boat accident
Officials: Pakistan army enters Taliban stronghold
US asks WTO to rule on China raw materials restrictions
Geithner to stop in Japan ahead of APEC
Panasonic to launch delayed Sanyo bid this week
Tata Steel says will restore Corus output to 100%
China says yes to Disney park in Shanghai
India 'angered' by EU generic drug seizure
Philippines eyes rice imports from SKorea,Vietnam
Nissan returns to quarterly profit on China sales
Chinese giant to buy US oil assets: company
New reality cooking show for chef Gordon Ramsay
Al Gore follow-up to 'An Inconvenient Truth' published
Royal Enfield motorbikes make comeback in India
In Ethiopia disabled people get jobs, not hand-outs
Beatles remasters heading to USB
| Entertainment
|
Bob Seger raids vaults for Early Seger set
| Entertainment
|
Italy unites to condemn crucifix ruling
Gerard Butler off to war in Coriolanus
| Entertainment
|
Fox TV executive defends news coverage
Springsteen to perform more albums in entirety
| Entertainment
|
Maine voters reject same-sex marriage
Bollywood star to sing on Mumbai attacks tribute: report
Germany and Egypt plan talks over Nefertiti statue
John Irving still spinning fiction from real life
| Entertainment
|
'The Hoff' back in Berlin for Wall anniversary
Gerard Butler off to war in "Coriolanus"
Britain's Tories under fire over EU plans
Afghan future depends on Karzai anti-graft fight
U.N. evacuates hundreds of foreign staff from Afghanistan
| International
|
Plan to charge for online content delayed: Murdoch
New York attorney general files antitrust suit against Intel
EU seeks Cuban gesture on human rights: EU official
Google wants businesses to ride Wave
Fed seen keeping near-zero rates to spur recovery
Technology not causing social isolation: Pew study
Wall Street Journal launching San Francisco edition
Kabul's British Cemetery honours war dead
Iraq surge could be model for Afghan war: US admiral
Microsoft overhauls MSN home page
Iran wants to be seen as regional power
Israel says it seized Iranian arms shipment for Hezbollah
Microsoft cuts 800 jobs, completes reduction plan early
Suspected U.S. missile strike kills two in Pakistan
| International
|
Apple's booming App Store tops 100,000 programs
U.N. assembly set to call for probes of Gaza war
Intel hit by NY antitrust suit, kickbacks alleged
Iraq vote may be delayed, election head warns
Iran security forces arrest AFP journalist: agency
| International
|
Regional summit seeks to end Zimbabwe crisis
| International
|
Microsoft cuts 800 jobs, completes layoff plan
Clinton and Palestinians turn spotlight on Jerusalem
Disneyland Paris site searched over racism claims
| International
|
Israel: commandos seize Hezbollah-bound arms ship
Technology not causing social isolation: Pew study
Tropical storm Ida could trigger Nicaragua mudslides
| International
|
US strike kills five militants in Pakistan: officials
Rockers No Doubt sue Activision over Band Hero
| Technology
|
Australia launches inquiry into major oil spill
NKorea seeks private food aid: report
Thai king health rumour charges 'baseless': watchdog
Calif. man gets 26 years for crash that killed 11
On election anniversary, Obama dismisses polls snub
California watchdog blasts officials in kidnap case
Vietnam storm death toll rises to 99
Exec to plead guilty in tomato price-fixing case
Report: Kidnap suspect improperly supervised
Four killed in US strike in Pakistan: officials
Weather forecast for the Asia-Pacific region
AP sources: Dem Health bill to get AARP backing
Top Indonesia law enforcers to resign over scandal
Man's cheesehead hat signed by Obama at speech
Malaysian charged with killing wife in acid attack
Fallen pastor Ted Haggard to again lead worship
Pacquiao eyes history against Cotto
Fed Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged
Ohio Voters OK Casinos In Major Cities
Microsoft In Cloud Computing Deal With Taiwan Gov't, Firm
Iranians Mark 30th Anniversary Of U.S. Embassy Siege, Anti-Government Protesters Dispersed
Cuomo Charges Intel With Anti-Trust Violations
NASA's Chandra X-Ray Unlocks Secret Of Carbon Atmosphere On Neutron Star
Meryl Streep's daughter gets first Hollywood break
Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina Launches Senate Bid
Hollywood eyes world domination with 'RISK'
Bodies Of Missing North Dakota Students Found Submerged In Lake
Republicans Release Alternative Healthcare Bill As Senate Democrats Scrap Deadline
Italian Court Convicts 23 CIA Agents In First Case Testing Extraordinary Rendition
Typhoon damage pushes Philippine inflation higher
WRAPUP 2-NZ jobless at 9-year high; c.bank warns recovery slow
Sinopec, Exxon reach deal for Papua New Guinea gas
Toyota to build big research China centre: report
Surf's up in China as shunned sport catches a wave
Philippine inflation hits 1.6 pct due to storms
Johnny Depp traveling to "Tourist"
Panasonic begins tender offer for Sanyo takeover
Classical music has its day at the White House
Seoul shares fall led by Hyundai; trade shrinks
Sundance takes a hike with screenings around US
S.Korea bonds edge up after Fed, but mood cautious
Martin, Baldwin to ratchet up the funny at Oscars
| Entertainment
|
Seoul shares edge down as won starts higher
Man arrested in LA celeb burglaries case
TEXT-NZ recovery more vulnerable than Australia-RBNZ
Robert De Niro movie a Fine mess
| Entertainment
|
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Rockers No Doubt sue Activision over "Band Hero"
Rockers No Doubt sue Activision over Band Hero
| Entertainment
|
Robert De Niro movie a "Fine" mess
Sundance expands outside Utah for one night
| Entertainment
|
Meryl Streep's daughter gets first Hollywood break
| Entertainment
|
Chris Brown is unsure about his image
ABC's Roberts lands Janet Jackson interview
Comic-Con founder Shel Dorf dies at age 76
| Entertainment
|
BNP Paribas reports 44.8-pct quarterly profit leap
Second Life creates virtual world for businesses
Zurich Financial reports 'solid' earnings after crisis
UN to evacuate 600 foreign staff from Afghanistan
Abbas says will not seek reelection: officials
| International
|
Exxon-Shell consortium wins West Qurna 1 deal
China bans tough treatment of young Web addicts
Saudi air force hits Yemen rebels after border raid
| International
|
Hezbollah denies link to arms ship seized by Israel
| International
|
Karzai 'corrupt' but 'our guy', French FM tells NYT
Karzai 'corrupt' but 'our guy', says French FM in NYT
Iran detains journalist for French news agency
Hezbollah denies links to seized arms ship
Afghans protest against U.S. after missile strike
| International
|
Hezbollah denies link to arms seized by Israel
Pakistani forces secure fort; U.S. drone kills four
| International
|
Obsessed Thatcher warned French of rampant Kohl
| International
|
Russia spy chief warns of new Georgia war: report
| International
|
ICC prosecutor to request Kenya investigation
| International
|
Obama meets with Native American leaders
AP source: Ex-NYC top cop Kerik plans guilty plea
Microsoft CEO eyes Yahoo partnership outside U.S.
| Technology
|
Maoists launch nationwide protests in Nepal
Uzbekistan to withdraw from regional power grid
Murdered nun like 'mom' to parishioner
Walmart.com offers top 10 pre-order DVD movie titles at $10
| Technology
|
Senator: No fed money for US-China wind project
Analysis: Democrats have short memory on judges
Activist: Chinese guard at black jail admits rape
Congress set to clear aid to jobless, homebuyers
Taiwan premier defends trip with gangster
Pakistan arrests three suspects in Iranian bombing
Moderate earthquake hits Taiwan
Congress giving homebuyers a $6,500 tax break
Japan starts power generation with plutonium fuel
Vietnam flood toll rises to 98
SkyTeam shows strong interest in wooing JAL
Pakistani stocks end lower; rupee firmer
Philippines' San Miguel reports stronger income
Toyota surprises with profit, boosts forecast
Toyota posts surprise profit, upgrades outlook
Thai king rumour charges 'baseless': watchdog
Macquarie wins prelim banking license in S.Korea
China's Sinopec signs LNG deal with Exxon Mobil
Toyota returns to profit as stimulus boosts sales
Group urges CW stations not to air 'Gossip Girl'
Berlin holds MTV awards, 20 years after Wall fell
Calle 13 leads nominations for Latin Grammys
Lots of success for Iraqi stamp auction
Japan's NEC offers eyewear translator
Indian filmmaker unveils her own minuscule Parsi Minority
Malawi threatens arrests over Madonna school row
| Entertainment
|
Under a Saudi road, migrant workers live in limbo
A decade of Sharia law in north Nigeria breeds frustration
Berlin holds MTV awards, 20 years after Wall fell
| Entertainment
|
Record prices return to Sotheby's
East German nudists let it all hang out, 20 years on
EMI sues U.S. website over Beatles music online
| Entertainment
|
Indonesia's top detective quits over graft scandal
Indonesia's top detective resigns over graft scandal
Indonesian officials resign in corruption scandal
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights