Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Afghanistan

Contractor for UN human settlements agency murdered in Afghanistan

An independent contractor working in Afghanistan for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHABITAT) was murdered yesterday when unknown assailants opened fire on his vehicle, a senior UN official in the country said today, deploring the killing.

The attack on the vehicle being driven by Yar Mohammad occurred in the Shoorab area Farah province. Two passengers escaped unharmed as the team returned from Shoorab village where they had just completed a visit to National Solidarity Programme (NSP) projects being implemented for the local community.

"It is particularly upsetting that someone who was working for peace, stability and progress in Afghanistan was targeted in such a brutal attack," said Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ameerah Haq, in a statement. "There can be no excuse for such violence against those who are playing such a vital role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan."