The death toll of UN staff in the terrorist bombings in Algiers has been raised to 17, a U.N. spokesperson said Friday.
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- UN Spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York that currently 17 UN staff were believed to be killed in the bombings.
She said that efforts on the ground to clear away the rubble have led to the discovery and identification of more bodies, adding most of them were Algerians.
According to the United Nations, at approximately 10:30 on Tuesday morning in Algiers, the UN Development Program (UNDP) office collapsed following an explosion, which local authorities have indicated was caused by a car bomb. Another car bomb exploded near the country's Constitutional Court. No one has so far claimed responsibility.
The world body has a total of 40 international staff presently in Algeria, including 19 international staff based there and an additional 21 that are there temporarily, as well as about 115 local UN staff in the capital.
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