29 Oct 2009

UN condemns Kabul attack

10:23 pm on 29 October 2009

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned as "shocking and shameless" a Taliban raid which killed five UN workers in the Afghan capital Kabul.

Mr Ban Ki-moon says the UN will not be deterred from its mission to Afghanistan.

UN mission head Kai Eide says it was a "very dark day" but the UN remained "committed to Afghanistan".

The three attackers who stormed a guesthouse used for UN workers were also killed, along with two Afghan security personnel and a civilian.

The Taliban say the attack is the first step in its bid to disrupt next week's presidential run-off election, but the White House says such attacks would not derail the vote.