Afghanistan: 11 Chinese Workers Killed

Top UN Envoy For Afghanistan Condemns Killing Of 11 Chinese Workers

The top United Nations envoy for Afghanistan today strongly condemned the killing of 11 construction workers from China during an attack on their compound last night on the outskirts of the northern city of Kunduz.

Jean Arnault, the Special Representative of Secretary-General Kofi Annan and chief of the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA) was appalled by the killing and condemned “in the strongest possible terms this cold-blooded attack,” his spokesman said in the Afghan capital of Kabul. The assault, which reportedly lasted just 10 minutes, also left five workers wounded, one of them in critical condition.

“The Special Representative conveys his condolences and expresses his sympathy to the Chinese Government and to the families, friends, and colleagues of these workers. He wishes a speedy recovery to those wounded,” said Manoel de Almeida e Silva.

Mr. Arnault noted that this latest attack followed other serious incidents against electoral and humanitarian aid workers on 5 May in Nuristan, and on 2 and 6 June in Badghis and Paktya. Eight Afghans and expatriates were killed in those attacks.

According to Mr. de Almeida e Silva, reports indicate that at 1:30 a.m. Kabul time, a group of some 20 armed men charged into the workers’ compound, some 35 kilometres outside the city of Kunduz.

The victims were part of the team working on the Kunduz-Baghlan road, a project funded by the World Bank. The United Nations and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) are providing support to the Chinese authorities dealing with the situation, the spokesman said.

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