New York, Nov 5 2009

The United Nations said today it will temporarily relocate some of its staff as part of increased security measures following the deadly attack in the Afghan capital last week that killed five UN staff members and injured several others.

“Effective immediately, the United Nations is taking additional steps to reduce risks to its national and international staff serving in Afghanistan. This is in light of the 28 October attack against UN staff in Kabul as well as further ongoing threats,” the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement.

“Although details of the new measures can not be made public, it is expected that they will involve short-term relocations for some staff while additional security is being put in place,” the statement added.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on the guest house in Kabul, where 34 UN staffers were staying.

The UN has some 6,000 people working across the country, including 1,100 international staff.

Last week Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pledged that the attack – which killed five UN staff and injured nine others – will not deter the world body from its mission to help the Afghan people build a better future.

“We stand by the people of Afghanistan today, and we will do so tomorrow,” he told a news conference in New York on the day of the attack.

UNAMA reiterated that the world body is fully committed to helping all of Afghanistan’s people, as it has been for more than half a century, and stated that every effort will be made to minimize disruption to its activities while additional security steps are being taken.

ENDS