Afghan governor agrees to place armed security outside UN offices in Ghazni

The regional government in Ghazni, southwest of the Afghan capital of Kabul, has agreed to place armed security outside United Nations premises following an armed robbery last week of the UN refugee agency's office there.

The decision came after a meeting last Friday between members of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), UN relief agencies, and the governor of the province, Haji Hassadullah Khalid, according to a spokesman for the UN Mission.

The Governor also established a department of foreign relations for the province to coordinate relationship between international organizations and the regional government on political, security and humanitarian issues.

In other news, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that the level of Afghans returning to their country in August from Pakistan has levelled off to 50,000 returns a week, down from nearly 80,000 people returning home during the second week of July.

Overall, 1.5 million Afghans have returned home, mainly from Pakistan, Iran and elsewhere in Central Asia.