The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities say they have arrested four people accused of planning an attack on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, and its staff in Kabul.
The Interior Ministry’s special police forces said the four
were arrested in three separate areas of the capital along with military
equipment and explosives. The ministry released a video showing the four men
appearing to confess to involvement in the alleged plot.
The claims could not be independently verified, and the
ministry did not provide further details about the identities of those arrested
or when the alleged attack was supposed to take place.
The reported arrests come as the Taliban authorities
continue to face armed opposition from groups including the National Resistance
Front, which was formed by former Afghan security personnel and others opposed
to Taliban rule after the group seized power in 2021.
UN mission has worked in Afghanistan since 2002
UNAMA is a U.N. special political mission established by the
Security Council on March 28, 2002, following the adoption of Resolution 1401.
Its mandate has evolved over the years to reflect Afghanistan’s changing
political, humanitarian and security situation.
The mission’s current mandate includes supporting
humanitarian assistance, human rights, inclusive governance, economic and
social stability, the rule of law and regional cooperation. It also uses its
diplomatic “good offices” to engage with Afghan, regional and international
stakeholders on peace and stability. The Security Council extended UNAMA’s
mandate for another year in June 2026, through June 2027.
UNAMA is headquartered in Kabul and maintains a field
presence in several Afghan provinces. The mission also coordinates with U.N.
agencies and other international organizations working on humanitarian and
development assistance in the country.
The U.N. mission has previously been targeted in
Afghanistan. In April 2011, an attack on a UNAMA compound in Mazar-i-Sharif
killed three international UNAMA staff members and four international security
guards.
In July 2021, attackers used rocket-propelled grenades and
gunfire against the entrances of the U.N. compound in Herat, killing an Afghan
police guard and injuring other officers. No U.N. personnel were injured. The
United Nations said attacks against its civilian personnel and compounds are
prohibited under international law and may constitute war crimes.
A U.N. vehicle was also attacked in Kabul in November 2019,
killing one U.N. staff member and injuring two others.
UNAMA has continued its work despite the security threats,
including monitoring human rights and civilian protection, coordinating
humanitarian assistance and engaging with Afghan authorities and other
stakeholders. The mission says it maintains an impartial and independent role
in documenting civilian casualties and supporting efforts to reduce harm to
civilians.
