Pinay volunteer feared dead in Kabul attack

(Updated 5:53 pm) A Filipina member of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) is reported to be among 12 people killed in a suicide mission in a guest house in Kabul on Wednesday that has been claimed by the Taliban, who say it was an assault on people who are working on the Nov. 7 runoff election. According to information received by GMANews.TV from Filipinos working in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Filipina casualty was working with the finance section of the UN Development Program's election project. Hiroyuki Takita, UNV Programme Officer in Manila, told GMANews.TV: "We heard a Filipina UNV is one of the victims, but we are still confirming this." Takita said they cannot release the nationalities of the casualties, but said there are currently six Filipino UNVs working in Afghanistan. "At this moment the UN cannot provide details until the relatives are informed," he added. Gunmen with automatic weapons and suicide vests stormed a guest house used by UN staff in the heart of the Afghan capital early Wednesday, killing 12 people — including six UN staff — officials told the Associated Press. A security guard working nearby told the AP attackers were wearing police uniforms. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't supposed to talk to media. UN spokesman Adrian Edwards said six UN staff were killed and nine other UN employees were injured in the assault, which began about dawn in the Shar-e-Naw area of the city. Terrified guests scurried from the building during the assault — some screaming for help and others jumping from upper floors as flames engulfed part of the three-story building. Afghan police and UN officials said 12 people in all were killed, including the UN staff, three attackers, two security guards and an Afghan civilian. The bodies of the attackers were taken out of the house and sent for autopsies, said Gul Mohammad, an officer at the scene. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack on the guest house and the Serena in a telephone call to The Associated Press, saying three militants with suicide vests, grenades and machine guns carried out the assault. He said three days ago the Taliban issued a statement threatening anyone working on the Nov. 7 runoff election between Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah. "This is our first attack," he said. Afghans vote Nov. 7 in a second round election after UN-backed auditors threw out nearly a third of Karzai's votes from the Aug. 20 ballot, determining widespread fraud. That pushed Karzai's totals below the 50 percent threshold needed for a first round victory in the 36-candidate field. - with reports from AP, GMANews.TV