More aid workers leave Kabul amid fears

December 18, 2000
Web posted at: 8:02 AM HKT (0002 GMT)

KABUL, Afghanistan (Reuters) -- More Western aid workers pulled out of the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, fearing a backlash if the U.N. Security Council imposed new sanctions against the ruling Taleban movement, Western sources said.

Many relief agencies had withdrawn their staff from Kabul because of the fear of possible eruption of violence and risk to their lives if the Council announced the sanctions on Tuesday, they said.

"Those who left were frightened that the sanctions will create unexpected harsh security problems for them," one source said.

"Fear of possible reaction against Western nationals at the hands of Afghans and foreign Islamists are high because of the nature of the sanctions," said the source, who did want to be named.

The United States expects the U.N. Security Council to approve an arms embargo and other sanctions against the Taliban rulers next Tuesday, a U.S. official said in Washington on Friday.

A draft resolution will go to senior representatives of Security Council member states on Monday for final consultations with their capitals, said the senior State Department official, who asked not to be named.

The majority of the estimated 64 expatriates including U.N. staff, have left Kabul since the last week, the source said, adding that those who had remained were watching developments closely.

Imposition of an arms embargo on the Taleban, banning its officials from overseas trips and shutting their offices abroad are part of the fresh curbs proposed by the United States and Russia to force the Taleban to expel Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden.

Bin Laden is wanted by Washington for trial for allegedly masterminding the bombing of two U.S. embassies in East Africa in 1998 that killed more than 200 people.

Russia accuses him of training and backing Chechen Islamists.

Last year, the Security Council imposed aviation and financial sanctions on the Taleban after it refused to hand over bin Laden for trial.

An angry mob attacked a U.N. agency in Kabul in retaliation.

The purist Islamic Taleban says it would not bow to fresh sanctions to expel bin Laden whom it regards as innocent and a guest.

As a reaction to the expected curbs, the Taleban has threatened to boycott any U.N.-sponsored peace talks for Afghanistan and close down U.N. political offices there.

It also says a one-sided arms embargo, that will not apply to an anti-Taleban alliance, would prolong war in Afghanistan.

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