<<a href="http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=worldnews&StoryID=279997>UN news:

[ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Wednesday that officers of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban had assaulted several local staff working on demining operations there, adding to growing security concerns since the start of U.S.-led raids Sunday.

"We have received reports that the United Nations Mine Action Program and the NGOs working with them are increasingly being targeted in Afghanistan," U.N. spokeswoman Stephanie Bunker told a news conference.

"Demining staff in Kabul, Jalalabad and Kandahar were beaten by the Taliban," Bunker added. She said she had only just received the reports and had no further details.]

* I'm all for humanitarian causes, but for now, I think all humanitarian programs need to pull out of Afghanistan, ASAP.

[The Taliban, knowing they would come under U.S.-led air attack, told all foreign aid workers to leave the impoverished country weeks ago. They have since banned aid groups from using outside communications equipment and occupied some U.N. offices.]

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Marcia