Kabul ? The Taliban’s attack on U.N. election workers undermines the U.N.’s ability to help steer Afghanistan through a runoff election in only 10 days. While the U.N. insists it will not be deterred by the assault, another attack could derail its limited ability to assure a credible vote and remain in the country.

Most of the U.N.’s international staff in Afghanistan were ordered to stay home Thursday, a day after militants stormed a residential hotel housing U.N. employees, killing five of them, including one American. Six other people died, including the three attackers.