Top UN Envoy For Afghanistan Condemns Killing Of 11 Chinese Workers
The top United Nations envoy for Afghanistan today strongly condemned the killing of 11 construction workers from China
during an attack on their compound last night on the outskirts of the northern city of Kunduz.
Jean Arnault, the Special Representative of Secretary-General Kofi Annan and chief of the UN Assistance Mission for
Afghanistan (UNAMA) was appalled by the killing and condemned “in the strongest possible terms this cold-blooded
attack,” his spokesman said in the Afghan capital of Kabul. The assault, which reportedly lasted just 10 minutes, also
left five workers wounded, one of them in critical condition.
“The Special Representative conveys his condolences and expresses his sympathy to the Chinese Government and to the
families, friends, and colleagues of these workers. He wishes a speedy recovery to those wounded,” said Manoel de
Almeida e Silva.
Mr. Arnault noted that this latest attack followed other serious incidents against electoral and humanitarian aid
workers on 5 May in Nuristan, and on 2 and 6 June in Badghis and Paktya. Eight Afghans and expatriates were killed in
those attacks.
According to Mr. de Almeida e Silva, reports indicate that at 1:30 a.m. Kabul time, a group of some 20 armed men charged
into the workers’ compound, some 35 kilometres outside the city of Kunduz.
The victims were part of the team working on the Kunduz-Baghlan road, a project funded by the World Bank. The United
Nations and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) are providing support to the Chinese authorities dealing
with the situation, the spokesman said.