No one hurt in attack on UN electoral convoy in southern Afghanistan

A convoy of United Nations and Afghan electoral workers was attacked yesterday while travelling in southern Afghanistan, but no one in the group appears to have been hurt, a UN spokesman announced today.

The four-vehicle convoy came under attack yesterday morning from two improvised explosive devices, small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades on a road in the Paktia district, spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters at a press briefing in New York.

Police who had been escorting the four vehicles then returned fire, beginning a fire-fight that lasted two hours and led to the attackers retreating.

Mr. Eckhard said the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) had announced that all UN vehicle movements on the road between the cities of Gardez and Khost have been suspended until further notice.