An international medical aid agency,the Medical Sons Frontiers (MSF) has decided to close its office for lack of security after 24 years of service to the war-weary nation, the agency's secretary general announced Wednesday.

"With a deep feeling of sadness and anger, MSF announces today the closure of all medical programs in Afghanistan," the agency's secretary general Marine Buissonniere told reporters here.

She announced this decision after about two months of the killing of five MSF workers in Badghis province, northwest Afghanistan.

"Government officials presented MSF with credible evidence thatlocal commanders conducted the attack, they have neither detained nor publicly called for their arrest," she criticized the Afghan government's inaction to handle the incident.

The international medical aid agency which has been engaged in humanitarian activities in Afghanistan since 1980, provided healthcare in 13 provinces with 80 international and 1,400 local staff.

"Over the past 24 years, MSF has continued to provide health care throughout the difficult period of Afghanistan's history, regardless of the political party or military group in power," theagency's secretary general emphasized.

MSF's withdrawal which will be completed in the next few weeks signals the deteriorating security in Afghanistan ahead of its first free election despite the presence of a 6,500 NATO-led international peace keepers and some 20,000 US military.

Source: Xinhua