One year on, security remains major concern

On the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, humanitarian workers, both local and international, in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, expressed increasing concern over security in the city and the rest of country after a wave of violent attacks and renewed fighting in the east left dozens of people dead.

Kabul was the scene last Thursday of a major car bomb attack which killed 26 people and wounded many more. The same day, President Hamid Karzai survived an assassination attempt in the southern city of Kandahar.

"I think there is a potential for more of the same to happen," Steve Mayall, an NGO security adviser, told IRIN on Sunday. "There are obvious security concerns between now and 13 September," he said, adding that although the recent attacks had not targeted the international community, there was a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Mayall advises some 76 members of the Agency Coordination Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR) on security issues. He was employed by the NGOs after growing concerns about security in the aftermath of attacks on aid workers and an increasing number of terrorist activities. "Basically, we are on our own and we have to look after ourselves," he stressed.

"I think these recent incidents are a reminder that we are still working in a very insecure environment," Nigel Fisher, the UN special representative for relief and reconstruction, told IRIN. "They were a wake-up call, and we should take as many security measures as we can," he said. The UN has stepped up security arrangements around its offices and residences by putting barriers close to its compounds, improving checks and even pasting blast-film on windows.

Fisher said that although the UN was not thinking about evacuating at this time, it had an evacuation contingency plan in place. "We have to act with caution," he asserted. He went on to say that while there was no specific information about possible renewed attacks, precautions were being taken between 8 and 15 September. "We have to wait and see what happens."

Afghan authorities and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have jointly stepped up security in Kabul to very high levels in the run up to 11 September. Heightened security began earlier this week as events to mark the death of Ahmad Shah Mas'ud took place on Monday. Mas'ud was the most powerful anti-Taliban resistance leader, he assassinated on 9 September last year by suspected Al-Qaeda operatives posing as journalists. The first anniversary of his death was marked by many functions in the capital. There were no reported incidents.

Afghan police have been checking each and every vehicle at the main crossroads in Kabul. Over the past few days, less traffic has been seen on the city streets, and people have generally avoided going to the main shopping centres. Main roads leading to the presidential palace, the US embassy and defence installations, have been completely closed to regular traffic.

"We are looking into plans for hibernation, evacuation and relocation of NGOs in case of an emergency," Mayall said. The NGOs were also focusing on providing emergency medical relief and putting a centralised communication centre in place for better coordination. He has also advised NGO staff to avoid going out to markets and to avoid all crowded places.

Sharing Mayall's concerns was Robert van der Wolff, a liaison officer with the international NGO, Cordaid. "My gut feeling is that it's now only a matter of time that an international institution is targeted," he told IRIN. "The security has deteriorated since early July, and we have limited the movements of our expatriate staff."

Although Kabul was the focus of most security concerns, the situation in the rest of the country was no different, Wolff said. He felt particularly concerned about the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, where President Hamid Karzai survived an assassination attempt last week. "It's a very volatile area, and sometimes we need armed escorts to go to remote areas," he noted.

Kristen Thompson, security adviser with the French NGO, ACTED, told IRIN that security was an issue of concern to all. "The main issue with the NGOs is that they don't have a common security focal point," she said, adding that such a focal point had become necessary after recent incidents.

ISAF spokesman, Steve Odell, told IRIN that although things were running well, the recent attacks had compelled people to reconsider their security situation. "Everyone has to be diligent. Anyone can be a target," he said. "This is a very difficult week."

Meanwhile, the Afghan government has blamed the Taliban and Al-Qaeda elements for the recent attacks. "It is further evidence that the war against terror in Afghanistan is far from over," Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah told a press briefing last week.