Eurasia Press & News
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) — The United Nations condemned “in the strongest terms” the suicide attack that killed about 80 people and injured 50 others in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar Sunday morning.
The suicide blast, the deadliest since Taliban regime collapsed in 2001, took place at a dog-fighting competition at 10:10 a.m. (0540 GMT), leaving children and police officers being among the victims.
In a press statement, the UN Security Council said its members noted with dismay that this terrorist attack was one of the deadliest in Afghanistan in recent years and expressed their condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and the government of Afghanistan.
They emphasized the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism to justice, and urged all states to cooperate actively with the Afghan authorities in this regard.
The council also expressed its concern at the increasing threat posed by the Taliban, al-Qaida, illegal armed groups, criminals and those involved in the narcotics trade to the local population, national security forces, international military and international assistance efforts.
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said this attack was yet another tragic reminder of the insecurity in Afghanistan that was undermining concerted attempts by the Afghan government to rebuild the country after decades of war with the assistance of the international community.
He said the contrast between those who take innocent lives so brutally and senselessly and those working with Afghan government and people to build a better future, could not be more stark.
“No grievance or political purpose can justify such attacks,” the UN chief said.
