UN to relocate staff after Afghan attack

THE United Nations said yesterday it will send more than half of its international staff out of Afghanistan or into more secure compounds following last week’s deadly Taliban attack against UN workers — the most direct targeting of its employees during decades of work in the country.

About 600 non-essential staffers will be affected by the move, the UN said. The announcement came as the head of the UN mission issued a stern warning to newly re-elected President Hamid Karzai that he must crack down on corruption and initiate reform or risk losing international support.

The UN is still reeling from the assault on a guesthouse in Kabul in which five of its staff were killed.