UNITED NATIONS MINE ACTION PROGRAMME SUSPENDS AFGHANISTAN OPERATIONS TO MOURN SEVEN KILLED WORKERS

Press Release
AFG/118
IHA/715

UNITED NATIONS MINE ACTION PROGRAMME SUSPENDS AFGHANISTAN OPERATIONS TO MOURN SEVEN KILLED WORKERS

ISLAMABAD, 8 August (Office of the United Nations Coordinator for Afghanistan) -- The 5,000 strong United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan will be suspended this Thursday 10 August as a mark of respect and mourning for seven mine action workers murdered in an ambush last Saturday.

Seven men were killed and one injured when their two vehicles were ambushed in the vicinity of Sabzak Pass, Badghis. As they were returning from carrying out mine awareness education for communities in Badghis Province, the vehicles were fired upon then set alight by the assailants, whose identity and motives remain unknown.

The deceased, originating from Nangarhar and Logar Provinces, were later evacuated from Herat by a special United Nations flight to Jalalabad, where over 2,000 mourners, including senior officials from the UNOCHA Mine Action Programme and other aid workers, took part in a convoy over two kilometres long, culminating in a commemoration service to honour the dead.

Saran Wal Shah Poor son of Shad Mohammed, Mohd Ayaz Malingyar son of Haji Musafir, Abdul Mansoor son of Ghulam Rasool, Ghulam Destageer son of Gulab Khan, Dr. Azizullah Alikozai son of Abdul Khalil, Shah Mohammed son of Sher Mohammed, and Abdul Rahman son of Abdul Jabar were then taken to their families for burial.

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, Erick de Mul, expressed grief and shock at the deaths of the seven, who were part of the UNOCHA Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan, and strongly condemned this act of senseless violence.

“After two decades of war, Afghanistan is one of the most mine afflicted countries in the world”, said Mr. de Mul. “These two OMAR [an Afghan non- governmental organization which has been a partner in the Mine Action Programme since its inception a decade ago] teams were saving lives by teaching people how to avoid the dangers of the mines, bombs, shells, mortars and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) which litter the country. On return from this humanitarian mission, they were brutally ambushed and killed. It is doubly tragic that they

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lost their own lives while saving the lives of others. Our hearts go out to their families.”

Mine Action Programme Manager Dan Kelly added that “although there can be no consolation for the families, friends and workmates of our murdered colleagues, we will always remember how they lived. Their time here with us was spent in service of their fellow Afghans. At Thursday’s ceremony we will mourn for them, and every day, as we continue our work of mine awareness, demining and explosive ordnance disposal, we will honour their memory.”

Mr. de Mul and Mr. Kelly extended their profound sympathy to Haji Fazel Karim, the Director of OMAR, and to all OMAR staff.

As part of the Day of Mourning on Thursday, 10 August, in Afghanistan, the United Nations will conduct a commemorative service in Islamabad, where it has its headquarters.

The United Nations has suspended operations in the Badghis area, and is conducting an inquiry into the incident.

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