Hell goes round and round

According to today’s Times two United Nations doctors working on a polio vaccination campaign for children were killed by a suicide bomber yesterday in the first significant Taleban attack against the organisation in Afghanistan.

The men died with a driver when the bomber rammed their UN vehicle in the market town of Spin Boldak, close to the border with Pakistan in the southern province of Kandahar. The attack was the first to single out marked UN vehicles

A statement issued by the Taleban on their website claimed responsibility for the attack: “This morning Taleban conducted a martyrdom attack by a hero, Abdul Salaam, in the centre of Spin Boldak against a convoy of Unama [UN Assistance Mission Afghanistan]. Two Land Cruisers of the convoy were targeted and eight high ranking foreign officials were killed.”

In a statement the UN special representative in Kabul said: “This attack was on innocent civilians working only for the people of Afghanistan, and is beyond comprehension.”

Beyond comprehension indeed.