Increased security in run up to next week's election

(30 Oct 2009) SHOTLIST 1. Various of armed police on the streets of the capital 2. Various of Afghan police stopping and searching cars 3. Various of police directing traffic 4. Various of police conducting security checks 5. Wide of UN guest house that was attacked on Wednesday 6. Various of Afghan troops on guard in front of UN guest house 7. Bullet riddled front door of the guest house 8. Damage to building 9. Various of guards 10. Zoom in of bullet holes from attack 11. Wide of building 12. Street in Kabul STORYLINE Security remained tight on the streets of Kabul on Friday, including outside the UN guest house which was attacked early on Wednesday by suspected militants, killing five UN staff and three Afghans. The three attackers also died. The guest house was the main residence housing foreign UN workers who were in Afghanistan to help monitor the upcoming run-off election on 7 November. Most of the UN's international staff in Afghanistan were ordered to stay home on Thursday. The U.N. says the lockdown does not apply to the 140 U.N. personnel helping the Afghans prepare for the November 7 presidential runoff to ensure that it is not marred by the kind of fraud which tarnished the last one. Time is running out to arrange a ballot that already faces threats ranging from Taliban violence to approaching severe winter weather. On Thursday in New York, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed for more security personnel to protect U.N. staff and facilities in Afghanistan, especially in the run-up to next week's election. He said the U.N. will also be consolidating its staff in Kabul and around the country. Ban said he urged members of the 15-nation Security Council to provide additional security units and would make a similar appeal on Friday to the 192-member General Assembly. He said the U.N. is not only seeking additional security officers from member states but from other sources that could include private security firms. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...