KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- The United Nations said Monday it is pulling international staff from its office in Afghanistan's Kunduz province following a weekend attack by protesters.
"This temporary relocation takes place inside Afghanistan and will be for a limited period of time," the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in a statement.
While no U.N. employees were injured in the violent demonstration Saturday, Afghan security forces did sustain casualties. The protest was one of many that have taken place in Afghanistan following what has been described by U.S. officials as the accidental burning of Korans by military personnel.
U.N. mission officials said they plan to take additional steps to ensure the Kunduz office can continue to operate in safety in the future.
"The UNAMA office in Kunduz will continue to deliver the critical programs in the region for the people who need them the most," mission officials said in a statement.
The U.N. release, citing media reports, said more than 30 people have been killed across Afghanistan since last week when soldiers at a U.S. air base inadvertently improperly disposed of a large number of Islamic religious materials, including copies of the Koran.
