Taliban, aid units in war of nerves

Some of these groups, as also the United Nations, have threatened to leave the country, contending that their functioning is becoming impossible.

The Talibans say they want the aid agencies to stay, as their assistance is vital, but at the terms of the group.

At the heart of the latest controversy is the edict asking aid workers to relocate themselves in abandoned and war-ravaged university dormitories.

Meanwhile, the Talibans have closed several programmes, including vocational training and schools, being run by the agencies, andworkers have also reported physical threats.

Initially, the Talibans wanted aid workers to start moving into dormitories by Sunday but there is some confusion as now they say the structures would be repaired first.

The Talibans say they want the international workers to move into the dormitories for their own safety, but the aid agencies say that clustering them together would increase the danger as it would make them easy targets.

The relations between the United Nations and the Talibans have been under strain ever since the latter took over Kabul in 1996 and began imposing their version of Islam, practically shutting women in their homes.

The militia closed girls schools, made it very difficult for girls and women to get medical treatment and forbade them from taking up employment.

The international aid agencies, including Oxfam and Care International, are unsure how to react to the Taliban’s constant pinpricks.

Some would like to withdraw but that would mean shutting down all emergencyassistance for the locals.

One of the options being considered is to continue limited humanitarian assistance and stop all other activities.

In earlier confrontations, the Talibans had compromised though they broke their promises almost immediately thereafter. How the Taliban would respond to the latest reaction of international aid agencies is yet unclear.