15 October 2001
FICSA Update No. 49 2001
We Mourn Dead Again
We have the sad duty to inform you that a United Nations helicopter was shot down in Georgia, on Monday, 8 October 2001. All nine passengers - four UN military observers, a technician and an interpreter working with the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (both local staff), and the three (Ukrainian) members of the crew - were killed.
We also have the sad duty to inform you that four security guards working for Afghan Technical Consultancy (ATC) were killed on Monday night in Kabul. They were: Safiaullah, age 33, who is survived by his wife, four children and two parents; Naseer Ahmed, 28, who is survived by his wife and his parents; Najeebullah, age 33, who is survived by his wife and five children; and Abdul Saboor, 26, who was supporting his two parents and as well as four brothers and sisters. ATC is one of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working under the umbrella of the UN Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan. It is the oldest and largest anti-mine organization funded by the UN in Afghanistan. Employing over 1,100 Afghans, it is the organization "with which the UN has the closest possible relationship," said Martin Barber, the Head of the UN Mine Action Service.