The United Nations and the people it serves suffered a dreadful loss with the bombing of UN headquarters in Baghdad on 19 August 2003. This terrorist attack claimed the lives of 22 people, including 15 UN staff working in Iraq. It also injured more than 100 people. Staff members of the Iraq Programme (OIP) and the Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq (UNOHCI) accounted for about half the UN personnel (58) who were injured. Five of those who died - Leen Assad AL QADI, Mahmoud u Taiwi BASIM, Ranilo BUENAVENTURA, Reza HOSSEINI and Khidir Saleem SAHIR - were UNOHCI staff members and dear colleagues and friends. An online condolence book has been opened in remembrance of those who died.  Our thoughts are with families who lost loved ones in the service of the United Nations and with our colleagues who survived but continue to struggle with physical injuries and painful memories of this attack.

Benon V. Sevan, Executive Director, Office of the Iraq Programme

Memorial Statement by the Secretary General - 19 September 2003