United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan - UNAMA As A Target

UNAMA As A Target

In the course of the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan also UNAMA and the UN as an entity have become a target in Afghanistan. In the opening weeks of the American aerial bombing, the United Nations compound in Kabul was targeted and destroyed, killing four workers - on the same day that another American bomb destroyed a nearby home, killing the family.

On November 2003 a bomb exploded outside UN offices in Kandahar, a staff member of the UNHCR was murdered and bombs were targeted at a UNAMA guesthouse in Kabul. On 28 October 2004, 3 UN electoral employees were kidnapped, and not released until 23 November. Other electoral personnel around the country were also attacked, including people working for the UNHCR and other Non-Governmental Organisations.

On 28 October 2009 a UN guest house in Kabul was attacked. The attack on Bakhtar guest house happened in the early hours of the morning when three attackers stormed a guest house used by the United Nations, killing five UN staff, two Afghan security personnel and an Afghan civilian.

On 1 April 2011, the UNAMA's regional Office in Mazar-i-Sharif was attacked and 7 UNAMA personnel were killed by angry demonstrators in Mazar-i-Sharif, including 5 Nepalese guards and 3 other members of staff. Pajhwok Afghan News reported that the dead included Norwegian, Romanian and Swedish nationals.