58 UN staff killed by terrorists in 2013

The UN staff union said that at least 58 of its
personnel were killed by terrorists and insurgents
in 2013.
It said that working for the world body became
more dangerous in the year.
According to the figures released on Wednesday by
the Staff Union’s Standing Committee for the
Security and Independence of the International Civil
Service, the highest number of casualties occurred
in attacks targeting the UN in South Sudan, Somalia
and Darfur region of Sudan
The figure showed that 33 peacekeepers and 25
civilians and associated personnel were killed in
2013 while working for the organisation.
The union added that the number represents an
increase in the death-toll from attacks on UN staff
members compared with the previous year, when
37 UN personnel were killed.
“Among the horrific assaults was the killing of 12
people associated with the UN Mission in South
Sudan during an ambush on April 9, 2013,” it said.
The Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New
York, also said that about 30 peacekeepers were
escorting a civilian convoy when they were
ambushed by some 200 armed, unidentified men
near the settlement of Gumuruk.
“The shootout that followed led to the killing of five
Indian peacekeepers, two national staff and five
contractors.
“Overall in 2013, 16 peacekeepers were killed in
Darfur, seven in South Sudan, four in Mali and four
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the union
said.
It added that five civilian staff members, four of
them working for the UN Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees, were killed in Syria.
The union’s overview came just months after UN
scribe, Ban Ki-moon, appealed to Member States
and host governments to support all measures of
safety and security measures to improve the
operational environment for UN personnel.
“UN personnel serve in an increasingly dangerous
environment and encounters a variety of threats not
previously encountered in the history of the
organisation,” Ban told members of the General
Assembly.
He cited a UN report released in 2013 on “Safety
and Security of Humanitarian Personnel and
Protection of UN officials” which showed that
significant security incidents affecting UN staff in
2012 increased to 1,793 compared with 1,759 in
2011.