From the UN News Center:
Two local staff members for United Nations agencies operating in Somalia have been killed since Friday and a worker with a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Afghanistan was slain today.
“The Secretary-General deplores these acts of deliberate violence against those who are making every effort to alleviate the dire suffering of Somali and Afghan citizens,” according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.
“He is alarmed at the increasing trend of killing and abduction of aid workers in both countries.”
Staff of UN aid agencies and NGOs have come under increasing deliberate attack in Somalia and Afghanistan in recent months, as well as in other countries and regions plagued by conflict, such as the Darfur region of western Sudan.
In a report released earlier this month on staff security, Mr. Ban called for collective responsibility and closer collaboration between the UN and its Member States to better protect UN staff and other humanitarian workers.
Clearly, this is a very disturbing trend. If you want to know what we can do to prevent terrorists from targeting aid workers don’t miss Samantha Power’s excellent op-ed on how to improve security for aid workers, or in her words “protect the protectors.”