U.N. moves some staff out of Afghanistan's Kandahar

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations moved some staff out of Afghanistan's southern Kandahar city and asked local staff to stay at home on Monday due to the deteriorating security situation there, a U.N. official said.

"In light of the security threat to U.N. compounds in Kandahar, several U.N. international staff were temporarily moved to Kabul while national staff were advised to stay home today," a U.N. official told Reuters.

The security situation in Kandahar has been growing worse in recent weeks, U.N. officials said. Two roadside bombs struck a convoy of Afghan police in Kandahar on Monday, killing two pedestrians and wounding another.

The Taliban has increased its attacks in Kandahar as the United States and NATO allies prepare for a major offensive there.

There are no plans for the United Nations to pull its staff out of Afghanistan, U.N. officials said.
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