UN 'to scale back' Afghan mission

Kabul, 05 Nov-(ANA)-The United Nations is to announce the withdrawal of a number of its foreign staff operating in Afghanistan, TV network Al Jazeera has reported.

The move comes a week after five UN personnel were killed in a Taliban attack in Kabul.

Reports from the Afghan capital said the order could happen within days following the approval of Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general.

News of a withdrawal followed an unannounced visit by Ban to the Afghan capital where he urged Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, to beef up security for UN staff working in the country.

The suicide attack, which left five UN employees dead, targeted the Bekhtar guest house in central Kabul in an area close to several government ministries.

The three Taliban attackers and four Afghans were also killed during a fierce gun battle that broke out after the raid.

In a statement, the Taliban said it had attacked the UN because of its involvement in organising Afghanistan's presidential elections, the second round of which has since been called off. (ANA)

FA/ANA/05 November 2009-----