UN Agencies Pledge to Remain in Afghanistan Despite Challenges  

GENEVA - United Nations agencies say they intend to stay in Afghanistan to provide aid to millions of Afghans facing the impending fall of the country to Taliban insurgents.  

United Nations agencies are pledging to remain in Afghanistan as urban areas, especially the capital, Kabul, are overflowing with people who have fled Taliban offensives in rural parts of the country.      Jens Laerke, spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, says the U.N. has been in Afghanistan uninterrupted for the last 70 years and it is still there.  He says the U.N. is concerned about the safety of its international and national staff and is closely monitoring events to ensure they are protected.     “Of course, it is a very volatile, fluid, rapidly changing situation," he said. "But we are staying where we are.  We have all intentions to stay and deliver for the Afghan people.  The deal that we have in Afghanistan is with the Afghan people, with the civilians.  And we are there to stay and help them.”