UN renews mandate for its mission in Afghanistan

The UN Security Council on Tuesday renewed for another year the mandate of its mission in Afghanistan as the country prepares for elections in 2014 and tackles security issues. The 15-nation council unanimously extended until March 2014 the mission that has a staff of about 500 international workers and close to 2,000 Afghans. Its resolution said that the decision to maintain the mission has taken “full account of the transition process and in full support of Afghanistan’s full assumption of leadership and ownership in the security, governance and development areas.” One of the mission’s tasks is to help organize presidential and provincial council elections next year amid security concerns as the United States has decided to withdraw its remaining 34,000 troops by February