Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

UN Starts Moving Some International Staff Members Out Of Afghanistan

UN Starts Moving Some International Staff Members Out Of Afghanistan

The United Nations has about 300 international staff and 3,000 national staff in Afghanistan.
The United Nations on Wednesday started moving up to a third of its international staff out of Afghanistan to Kazakhstan, but stressed the world body is "committed to staying and delivering in support of the Afghan people in their hour of need."

The Taliban seized power on Sunday - 20 years after the Islamist militants were ousted by a U.S.-led invasion for refusing to hand over al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

The United Nations has about 300 international staff and 3,000 national staff in Afghanistan. U.N. spokesman Stephane Durjarric said about 100 of those international staff would be moved to Kazakhstan.

"This is a temporary measure intended to enable the U.N. to keep delivering assistance to the people of Afghanistan with a minimum disruption, while at the same time reducing the risk to U.N. personnel," Dujarric told reporters.

The speed with which the Taliban retook the country, as foreign forces withdrew after a two-decade-long war, has sparked chaotic scenes at the airport in the capital Kabul as diplomats and Afghans try to leave.

Mary Ellen McGroarty, World Food Programme (WFP) director in Afghanistan, said the United Nations was speaking with the Taliban about how the airport would operate once the United States hands over control. She said it was not clear when the United States would leave and what would happen after that.

"The issue will be getting a body similar to the Civil Aviation Authority back in there and the security and control of the airport," she told reporters in New York via video from Kabul. "It's something we're trying to work through with the new authorities to arrive at a workable solution."

"It's going to be a critical lifeline for the humanitarian action in Afghanistan," said McGroarty, adding that the United Nations was currently assessing damage to the civilian side of the airport and two U.N. planes.

The Taliban has promised peaceful rule, saying they would not take revenge against old enemies and would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law.

Caroline Van Buren, representative of the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR in Afghanistan, said there were reports of human rights abuses against women.

"We've been told that in some areas women are not allowed to go to work ... In some areas it's been reported that women are not allowed to move without a male family member," she said, adding that Taliban fighters enforcing this on the ground were "still waiting for instructions from the leadership."

Under Taliban rule between 1996 and 2001, women could not work, girls were not allowed to attend school and women had to cover their face and be accompanied by a male relative if they wanted to venture out of their homes.

Van Buren said there was a "sense of fear and uncertainty among many Afghans" and UNHCR offices around the world were receiving thousands of emails and calls seeking help.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
×