UN Gurkha Guard, Dil Prasad Gurung

SECURITY CONTRACTOR
Name:	Dil Prasad Gurung
Age:	40
Nationality:	Nepalese
Employer:	IDG Security (contracted to UN)
Location:	Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
Date:	2 April 2011
Cause:	Wounds received while defending UN civilian employees against mob attack on UN compound

Dil Prasad Gurung, from Pokhara in Nepal, joined IDG Security in Afghanistan in August, 2010. Before this he had a long and distinguished career in the Indian Army where he served in the 3/3 Gorkha Rifles. Altogether Dil Prasad served in the Indian army for 19 years, achieving the rank of sergeant. He is survived by his wife, Kumari Vija Gurung, as well as two sons and a daughter.

UN Gurkha Guard, Narayan Bahadur Thapa

SECURITY CONTRACTOR
Name:	Narayan Bahadur Thapa Magar
Age:	37
Nationality:	Nepalese
Employer:	IDG Security (contracted to UN)
Location:	Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
Date:	1 April 2011
Cause:	Killed defending UN civilian employees against mob attack on UN compound

Narayan Bahadur Thapa Magar, from the Rupandehi district of Nepal, joined IDG Security in Afghanistan in September, 2010. Before this, Narayan Bahadur had a long and distinguished career as a professional soldier. He spent 19 years with the 1/5 Gorkha Rifles in the Indian Army. Six months were spent deployed to the UN mission in Sudan. Narayan is survived by his wife Yami Kumari Thapa and two sons.

UN Gurkha Guard, Chhabi Lal Purja Pun

SECURITY CONTRACTOR
Name:	Chhabi Lal Purja Pun
Age:	55
Nationality:	Nepalese
Employer:	IDG Security (contracted to UN)
Location:	Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
Date:	1 April 2011
Cause:	Killed defending UN civilian employees against mob attack on UN compound

Chhabi Lal Purja Pun, from the Myagdi district of Nepal, worked for IDG security in Afghanistan since 2005. During this time he defended UN compounds in Kabul, Kalat, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif. Before coming to Afghanistan, Chhabi Lal served with the 3/8 Gorkha Rifles (Indian Army) for 24 years. He achieved the rank of sergeant. Chhabi Lal had significant combat experience. He is survived by his wife, Purni Purja Pun, two sons and a daughter.

UN Gurkha Guard, Min Bahadur Thapa

SECURITY CONTRACTOR
Name:	Min Bahadur Thapa
Age:	53
Nationality:	Nepalese
Employer:	IDG Security (contracted to UN)
Location:	Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
Date:	1 April 2011
Cause:	Killed defending UN civilian employees against mob attack on UN compound

Min Bahadur Thapa, from the Myagdi district of Nepal, joined the UN security detachment in 2010. Initially he was posted to defend the UNOCA compound in Kabul, but he was later transferred to the UN complex in Mazar-e-Sharif. Before that, he spent 28 years in the Indian Army with 2/4 Gorkha Rifles. After he retired, he spent two and a half years working security on cruise ships. He is survived by his wife, Lekh Maya Thapa, two sons and a daughter.

UN Gurkha Guards named

The four Nepalese Gurkha security guards killed 1st April protecting UN employees in Afghanistan have been named.

1. Min Bahadur Thapa
2. Chhabi Lal Purja Pun
3. Narayan Bahadur Thapa Magar
4. Dil Prasad Gurung (died from his injuries the following day)

Two other Nepalese nationals who were inside the building at the time of the attack are safe.

According to sources, the guards were employed by IDG Security Afghanistan, and contracted to guard the UN office.

Swedish UN worker Zahra Abidi

Zahra Abidi

This report is from Ivory Coast but we have included it on this website as a tribute to Zahra Abidi

A Swedish United Nations employee was shot and killed in Abidjan by a stray bullet, on 31st March 2011.

Zahra Abidi, aged 34, was hit in her home in Abidjan, where she was working for the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI).

Fighting erupted in Ivory Coast's main city Abidjan on Thursday as forces loyal to internationally recognised election winner Alassane Ouattara make a final push for power against incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, who has refused to cede power.

Bloody post-election violence has plunged the world's top cocoa producer into political and economic crisis, killing nearly 500 people and forcing more than one million people to flee.

The next day, but in Afghanistan, three UN workers - Joakim Dungel from Sweden, Siri Skare from Norway and Filaret Motco from Romania, plus four Nepalese Gurkha guards died.

Romanian UN worker, Filaret Motco killed

Filaret Motco

Following the deadly attack on United Nations workers on Friday 1st April 2011 in Mazar-i-Sharif, Romanian citizen, Filaret Motco aged 43, is confirmed as one of the foreign workers killed.

He was Political Affairs Director and had worked for UN missions for 11 years, in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Russia, Chechnya, and Kyrgyzstan.

Four Nepalese guards were also killed along with two other foreign UN workers, Siri Skare from Norway and Joakim Dungel from Sweden. 

The previous day, but on a different continent, another UN aid worker, Zahra Abidi was killed in Ivory Coast, Africa.

UN Norwegian officer, Lt. Colonel Siri Skare

Lt. Col. Skare

Norwegian Lt. Col. Siri Skare, aged 53, was killed in an afternoon attack on the United Nations office in Mazar-e-Sharif on 1st April 2011. 

Lt. Col. Skare was Norway's first female military pilot and the country's first female officer to be killed in service in Afghanistan.

Skare, who finished her training as a pilot in 1983, had been working as a military adviser for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) since August of last year. Those assigned to the UN are unarmed and work to provide aid and development assistance to civilians in Afghanistan.

The attack also claimed the lives of four Nepalese Gurkha guards, along with two other foreign UN workers, Joakim Dungel from Sweden and Filaret Motco from Romania. 

The previous day, but on a different continent, UN aid worker, Zahra Abidi was killed in Ivory Coast, Africa.

Swedish UN worker Joakim Dungel

Joakim Dungel, aged 33, from Sweden was killed on 1st April 2011 as a result of a violent demonstration in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Mr. Dungel, a lawyer, was working as a human rights officer for the United Nations. He had previously worked with the War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague, Netherlands, on war crime trials relating to the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

He followed his passion for defending human rights to some of the most difficult places in the world. Before moving to Afghanistan in 2011, he worked for the UN in Lebanon and with the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Four Nepalese guards were also killed along with two other foreign UN workers, Siri Skare from Norway and Filaret Motco from Romania. 

The previous day, but on a different continent, fellow Swede and aid worker, Zahra Abidi was killed in Ivory Coast, Africa.

Four UN Nepalese Gurkha Guards killed

Updated: Nepalese Gurkha Guards identified

During the deadly attack on United Nations workers on Friday 1st April 2011 in Mazar-i-Sharif, four Nepalese Gurkha contractors employed to guard UN staff were killed.

As hundreds of people rushed the compound where they were staying, the Gurkha guards engaged with defensive fire.

It is understood they killed several demonstrators before being over-run and subsequently killed.

Three UN workers - Joakim Dungel from Sweden, Siri Skare from Norway and Filaret Motco from Romania, died in the attack.

The previous day, but on a different continent, another UN aid worker, Zahra Abidi was killed in Ivory Coast, Africa.