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U.N. worried about assassinations in Afghanistan

An Afghan soldier takes position near the building which is occupied by Taliban militants, unseen, in Kabul, Afghanistan on Tuesday, September 13, 2011. Taliban insurgents coordinated attacks on the U.S. Embassy, NATO headquarters and other buildings in downtown Kabul, killing seven Afghans. UPI/Enayat Asadi
An Afghan soldier takes position near the building which is occupied by Taliban militants, unseen, in Kabul, Afghanistan on Tuesday, September 13, 2011. Taliban insurgents coordinated attacks on the U.S. Embassy, NATO headquarters and other buildings in downtown Kabul, killing seven Afghans. UPI/Enayat Asadi | License Photo

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Assassinations of high-ranking figures in Afghanistan raise concerns about political stability, the U.N. mission in Afghanistan said in its latest report.

Former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani was killed last week in a bomb attack at his Kabul home. The incident came just days after an attack by suicide bombers and gunmen on the U.S. Embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul, which U.S. officials said they suspect was the work of the Haqqani network.

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Ahmed Wali Karzai, the half-brother was Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the provincial chief of Kandahar, was killed by one of his security guards in July.

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, in its latest report, said assassinations of high-ranking figures undermined confidence in the country's political system.

"News of the assassinations reverberated across the country, raising concerns for the political stability of the south, given the influence exerted by those killed and their ties to the government in Kabul," the report stated.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in talks with Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting renewed his commitment to the people of Afghanistan.

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"The secretary-general and the Foreign Minister agreed on the need for a sustained focus on development, governance and the rule of law, as well as a long term commitment by the international community to support Afghanistan beyond 2014," a readout of the meeting provided by Ban's office read.

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