Children of U.N. staff to leave Pakistani capital

Deadly clashes
Charsadda lies near the tribal region of Bajur, where troops have been battling militants for more than two months. Police official Fazl Rabi said security forces killed at least 27 militants in various clashes near Bajur's main town of Khar Thursday. He gave no information on troop casualties.

Pakistani officials have blamed the Marriott blast on extremists holed up in tribal areas along the Afghan border. The same groups are suspected in suicide attacks that, according to army statistics, have killed nearly 1,200 people since July last year.

Several have taken place in the capital, including a car bombing claimed by al-Qaida that killed six outside the Danish Embassy in June. A blast killed a Turkish aid worker and injured 12 people, including four FBI agents, at a restaurant in March.

Pakistani authorities have sought to reassure an expatriate community for whom the leafy, grid-plan city at the foot of the Himalayas makes a comfortable home.

Extra checkpoints have sprung up across Islamabad, while paramilitary troops glower over the top of machine guns at the entrance to the diplomatic quarter, where many foreigners live and work.

However, the precautions have only made parts of the city resemble Kabul, which like trouble spots including Somalia and southern Nigeria, are non-family postings for U.N. international staff.

Baghdad and Khartoum are the only capitals where the U.N. is on a higher security level, Kamaal said.

Already on Wednesday, Britain announced about 60 children of its diplomats in Pakistan will return home and other countries may follow suit. Pakistan has long been a non-family posting for U.S. and Canadian diplomatic staff.

More from msnbc.com Sluggish new home sales show rocky recovery Now boarding: Flight 1225 to North Pole Racist webcam? TheGrio's test says no Kim Peek, a man who inspired more than ‘Rain Man’ Answer Desk: Gold may be riskier than it seems

MORE FROM SOUTH & CENTRAL ASIA

South & Central Asia Section Front

Pakistan Taliban ‘helping’ beef up Afghan fight Suicide attack on Pakistan press club kills 3 Court orders 2 men’s noses, ears amputated Karzai orders investigation into cousin's slaying U.S., Taliban compete for Afghan towns South & Central Asia Section Front   Add South & Central Asia headlines to your news reader: