CANBERRA, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Australian aid group CARE Australia has become the latest international non-government group to pull its foreign staff out of Iraq following a rocket attack on its Baghdad offices and death threats. CARE Australia's chief executive Robert Glasser said three rocket propelled grenades were fired at the building at midnight last Friday, with one deflecting off a palm tree and missing but two hitting the roof and causing minor damage. After the attack, CARE received a written death threat from a group calling itself the Iraqi Resistance, warning that it would attack the organisation's offices and staff again. Glasser said CARE's six foreign staff had been withdrawn from Iraq and relocated to Amman, Jordan, while CARE had closed its Baghdad office for a week, telling its 70 local staff not to return while it reviewed security. "The attack happened at midnight when the building was empty so fortunately no one was injured, but it was a very serious attack and we have to put the safety and security of our staff first," Glasser told Reuters on Tuesday. "The office is now closed for a week, but we are considering all options, which could mean reducing our operations there or possibly suspending them." Glasser said the decision to close the office and withdraw staff had been difficult, with CARE the only international non-government organisation apart from the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to maintain a continuous presence in Iraq since the Gulf War in 1991. CARE has about 20 projects in Iraq with a total value of US$25 million to repair water and sanitation systems, provide health education and undertake major repairs to hospitals and health care centres.
The new Egyptian Ambassador to Iraq Ashraf Shaheen (center L) talks to Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (center R) during their meeting in Baghdad November 23, 2009. REUTERS/Iraqi Government/Handout (IRAQ CONFLICT ...
