IOM strongly condemns this week's attack on an hotel in Peshawar
that claimed a number of lives including UN humanitarian aid
workers and remains committed to its relief operation for those
displaced by military operation in Swat, Buner and Dir.

"We are deeply committed to our humanitarian activities to
alleviate the displacement crisis in the North West Frontier
Province," says Hassan Abdel Moneim Mostafa, IOM Regional
Representative for West and Central Asia. "IOM staff in Pakistan
offer their heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of
those aid workers who lost their lives while serving those in real
need."

The attack on the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar claimed
the lives of two UN officials, Alexander Vorkapic of UNHCR and
Perseveranda So of UNICEF. Two Pakistan Ministry of Health
officials and one commercial driver who were assisting a UNFPA
project also died in the attack. A number of staff from different
UN humanitarian partners supporting the displaced population were
also injured in the hotel bombing. No IOM staff were injured in the
attack.

IOM's assistance to displaced populations continue with Rapid
Response Teams deployed in the affected areas to carry out need
assessments in host communities, to provide technical assistance
for shelter support, to collect and coordinate information with
humanitarian partners and to help distribute relief goods to
vulnerable displaced families.

IOM is also contributing non-food relief supplies, including
tents, blankets, quilts, sleeping mats, jerry cans, mosquito nets,
plastic buckets, kitchen sets and soap to displaced families living
in camps in the NWFP.

For further information, please contact:

Saleem Rehmat

IOM Islamabad

Tel: +92 300 856 03 41

E-mail: "mailto:srehmat@iom.int" target="" title="">srehmat@iom.int