UN Security Council condemns suicide bombing at mosque in Pakistan

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - The UN Security Council on Sunday condemned "in the strongest terms" a suicide bombing late last week inside a Shia mosque in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar that killed 62 people and injured nearly 200 others.

"The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government of Pakistan and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured," said a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.

The Daesh/ISIS terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred at the Kucha Risaldar Mosque during Friday prayers.

The council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its "forms and manifestations" constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

It underlined the need to bring the "perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the government of Pakistan and all other relevant authorities in this regard."

If further reiterated that any acts of terrorism “are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.”

They reaffirmed the need for all countries to combat by all means, in accordance with the UN Charter and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.