The Independent, The United Nations is to withdraw its remaining international staff from Baghdad as a growing campaign of suicide bombings and violent attacks provokes a sense of despair in the Iraqi capital.
A fresh exodus of international aid organisations gathered pace yesterday when it became clear that suicide bombers were preying on aid workers because they are soft targets and attacking them is an effective means of isolating the United States in Iraq.
Officially the UN said its withdrawal was temporary. In Geneva Marie Heuze, a UN spokeswoman, said staff were being recalled “for consultations” on the security arrangements that “we would need to take to operate in Iraq”. But in the absence of a sudden improvement in security in the near future, the decision seems to be tantamount to an ending of the UN's presence in the Iraqi capital.
Many believe Iraq is facing years of turmoil. The UN was dealt a fatal blow in August when its headquarters was bombed and 22 people were killed, including the UN special representative Sergio Vieira De Mello. International staff numbers were reduced from 300 to about 60 overseeing the oil for food programme.
The decision represents a serious setback to the occupation. Yesterday an American supply train was bombed west of Baghdad and an explosion rocked a row of shops in the city, killing two people.
The Red Cross has already said it will further reduce its staff in Iraq. On Monday suicide bombers attacked its headquarters in the worst single day of violence since the overthrow of Saddam. Twelve people died in the attack
