Five UN Staff Killed in Pakistan

Published June 11, 2009 @ 04:23PM PT

The UN has announced that five of its staff died Tuesday night in the bombing of the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar, Pakistan. The casualties included Alekasandr Vorkapic with UNHCR, Perseveranda So with UNICEF, and three Pakistani staff. (I haven't been able to find the names of the three Pakistanis who died.)

So far this year, a total of twelve aid workers have been killed in Pakistan.

The attack also further complicates relief efforts to help the more than two million people displaced in recent fighting between the Pakistani military and insurgents. According to the New York Times:

"The bombing disrupted operations immediately, if temporarily, prompting a one-day suspension of food distribution efforts and forcing many United Nations agencies to move most of their international staff workers to Islamabad, the capital.

There, they will regroup, reassess risk levels and determine if and how many foreign staff members will now be posted in Peshawar, United Nations officials said."

The International Committee of the Red Cross also just announced that one of its staff was killed earlier this week in the Central African Republic. Moktar Chaid was "killed by armed men," tho further details are unavailable.

Following killings in Pakistan and the Central African Republic, a total of forty-seven aid workers have been killed worldwide this year.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and colleagues of those killed.

[Bombing of the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar - Photo from the NY Times / Reuters]

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Comments (1)

Having served in Peshawar with UNHCR for a little more than 2 years, including being in Peshawar on 9/11/2001, I'm well aware of the possibility for violence in this area.

Humanitarian workers are indeed more and more targeted which makes assisting the needy so much more challenging. The bombing of the Pearl Continental wasn't an accident, showing how difficult it is to provide security for anyone.

Posted by William Tarpai on 06/22/2009 @ 08:28PM PT
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Michael has worked for NGOs in Afghanistan, across east and central Africa, and Iraq. Prior to going overseas, he worked on a project providing assistance to the United Nations on the application of International Humanitarian Law to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.