The United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan expressed its "extreme concern" on November 15 over the destruction of UN property during recent demonstrations in Afghanistan by Protesters who were angry at the sanctions imposed on the country by the UN Security Council.

According to a statement issued by the Office of the UN Co-ordinator for Afghanistan, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Farah of southwestern Afghanistan was attacked by the demonstrators.

UN offices in Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul, Herat and Jalalabad and other locations have also been attacked. In some areas, offices have been forcibly entered and vehicles and equipment damaged.

However, no UN staff have been injured in these attacks.

"The Taliban provided guards and police to UN offices, but they proved powerless against such large crowds," said Erick de Mul, UN Co-ordinator for Afghanistan.

"Moreover, we believe that the authorities are not doing enough to discourage these demonstrations in the first place," he added.

He appealed to the Taliban to support and protect UN premises and staff, who work to provide much needed humanitarian assistance to poor and vulnerable Afghans.

The United Nations has protested to the Taliban and has requested the militia to respect existing security agreement, said the statement.

Air traffic and financial sanctions were imposed on Afghanistan Sunday after the Taliban failed to hand over the suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden for trial, but UN humanitarian activities will continue in the war-ravaged country.