Secretary-general says UN is undeterred by deadly Kabul attack

Twelve people are dead, including five foreign UN foreign staff after an attack on a guesthouse in Kabul on Wednesday. Nine more are injured.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the world body will not be deterred by the attack. Speaking at a news conference, he said: "I condemn this shocking and shameless act and the terrorists who committed this crime. It is unjustifiable by any standards."

He said that security procedures would be strengthened. "We will never be deterred by these terrorist attacks," he continued. "We will continue our work, particularly in helping the Afghan government and people carrying out the second presidential election."

The Taliban have vowed to disrupt the second round of presidential elections, a run-off which is due to take place on 7 November.

The guesthouse was targeted because of the role the UN will play in the organization of the vote. There were at least 25 UN staff in the guesthouse at the time of the attack.

A spokesman told Reuters: "We have said that we would attack anyone engaged in the process and today's attack is just a start."

US president Barack Obama is currently deciding whether to send more troops to Afghanistan, as insurgency gathers in strength.

The UN originally said six foreign staff members had been killed, but later amended the number to five.

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