The United Nations has appealed to the Philippine government to ensure the security of its staff working in the Asian country following the killing of an aid worker contracted by the World Food Program in the country’s conflict-torn Mindanao region.
A Filipino aid worker was helping to distribute WFP rations on Nov. 26 when a gunman attacked the U.N. agency’s truck outside Marawi city. The aid worker was contracted locally and not a full-time staff member of WFP.
The agency said it “strongly deplores” the attack but will not suspend its operations in southern Philippines, where armed groups, including Islamic militants, operate, Agence France-Presse reports.
“As of press time, based on the evidence on the ground, WFP is treating this incident as an isolated case, and will do everything possible to ensure that operations in central Mindanao will not be hampered,” WFP said in a Nov. 29 statement.
