United Nations Radio

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has declared security Phase IV for staff in the North West Frontier Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan with immediate effect.

The Secretary-General says this decision has been taken because of the intense security situation in the region.
The United Nations is providing relief supplies to people who have been displaced by fighting between the army and the Taliban in the areas.
Under Phase IV, only staff involved in the provision of vital emergency, humanitarian relief, security operation and other essential operations will remain in these areas.
All other international UN Staff will be relocated out of North West Frontier Province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
The Secretary-General says security measures will be enhanced for staff that will continue their work in the two areas.
He says the planning of future programmatic activities covering these areas will continue and be in place to be initiated once the security situation improves.
The highest security alert is Phase V, under which all remaining United Nations staff are evacuated.

Gail Walker, United Nations Radio
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