London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 03, 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

0:00
0:00
Close
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
×