Ad Melkert, the UN envoy in Iraq, said he was in a convoy escorting him to the airport in the holy Shiite city of Najaf when a roadside bomb exploded. A policeman accompanying the convoy was killed.
"The secretary general strongly condemns today's attack in Najaf," said a UN spokesman in a statement which added that Melkert and his deputy, Jerzy Skuratowicz, and other UN staff were all unhurt.
"The secretary general sends his condolences to the family of the deceased and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.
"The secretary general wishes to express his appreciation to his special representative and the staff of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), who are working under difficult circumstances to implement the mandate of the United Nations in Iraq.
"This attack will not deter the UN from continuing its efforts to assist the Iraqi people on their path to reconciliation and prosperity."
Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN's first special representative in Iraq after the 2003 US-led invasion, was killed in a Baghdad bomb attack in August 2003.
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