SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS MURDER OF FIVE AID WORKERS IN AFGHANISTAN

Secretary-General condemns murder of five aid workers in Afghanistan

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General was distressed and angered to learn of the cold-blooded killing yesterday of five staff of Médecins sans Frontières on the road between Khairkhana and Qala-I-Naw, Badghis province, Afghanistan.

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the killing of these unarmed humanitarian aid workers.  He calls on the Government of Afghanistan, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force for Afghanistan (ISAF), and Coalition forces to take the necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of aid workers who are assisting the people of Afghanistan and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Secretary-General expresses his profound condolences to the bereaved families.

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