News

The United Nations is temporarily evacuating half of its foreign staff from Afghanistan, threatening a permanent pullout unless security for its workers dramatically improves.

The decision was framed as a direct response to a deadly Taliban attack that killed five UN workers at a Kabul guesthouse last week, but deals a wider blow to international efforts to stabilize the country at a time when support for Western-led efforts is flagging.

In announcing the retreat, Kai Eide, the UN special representative in Kabul, delivered a pointed message to Hamid Karzai's government:

"The perception that we will stay in this country no matter what is incorrect. ... The debate over the last few weeks has demonstrated that there are more question marks and more doubt with regard to the strength of the international commitment to Afghanistan.

"We can't afford any longer a situation where warlords and power brokers play their own games," he said.

Mr. Eide added that his staff will not return until Mr. Karzai's government shows signs of widespread reform.

Frustration has been building for months among UN staff in the wake of Afghanistan's fraught presidential election, which the UN was instrumental in organizing. UN staff across the country braved direct threats from the Taliban to help carry out the election, which was ultimately found to be tainted by massive fraud.

Last week's predawn attack on the Bekhtar guesthouse in central Kabul - the worst suffered by UN staff in decades - sparked initial discussions of a pullout and a major security overhaul. According to UN sources in Kabul, the appointment of Mr. Karzai as President after the cancellation of a run-off election with his chief rival, Abdullah Abdullah, proved the breaking point.

"We are done here. Done," said a senior UN figure, speaking on the condition of anonymity, the day Mr. Karzai's victory was announced.

"This has been a difficult process. ... We've lost blood, sweat and tears. You won't see of any us congratulating him," said the UN official, referring to Mr. Karzai.

Of the 1,100 foreign UN staff in Afghanistan, 600 are set to be evacuated to Dubai for at least several weeks.

The remaining workers, scattered in guesthouses across the capital and the country, will retrench to a central compound in Kabul. UN operations will continue, with Afghan staff taking the place of those who have left.

The decision to quit Afghanistan comes three days after the UN announced it is withdrawing its staff from the volatile northeast region of neighbouring Pakistan, and underscores the erosion of security across the region.

Military commanders and members of Afghanistan's massive aid community expressed dismay at the UN decision, arguing it will hamper reconstruction and security efforts at a crucial time.

"I am not very satisfied," said General Egon Ramms, the German commander of NATO forces in the country.

"By withdrawing personnel from Afghanistan it will not be able to reach the progress and success we need."

Lex Kassenberg, director of CARE International, said he was "disappointed" with the UN decision.

"From my perspective it's unfortunate," he said. "As we all try to improve the lives of Afghans, it will have an impact."

Others expressed concern that without the presence of the UN, other NGOs could follow suit.

"Things could develop into a scenario where we are all running our operations by remote from Dubai," said the director of one aid organization, who did not want to be named.

"That would be incredibly limiting for our staff and even worse for the people of Afghanistan."

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A tactical withdrawal

The United Nations is to evacuate hundreds of its international staff from Afghanistan due to deteriorating security.

UN AFGHANISTAN MISSION

UN offices

Mazar-e-Sharif

Herat

Kunduz

Jalalabad

Gardez

Provincial

Kabul UN HQ

Kandahar

Bamiyan

UN STAFF (5,600)

International 1,100

Afghans 4,500

600 to be withdrawn

GRAPHIC NEWS/THE GLOBE AND MAIL