UPDATE - UN chief condemns Moscow concert hall shooting 'in strongest terms'

ADDS REMARKS BY SECURITY COUNCIL

By Serife Cetin and Alperen Aktas

NEW YORK/ISTANBUL (AA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned "in the strongest possible terms" a deadly attack Friday at a concert hall northeast of central Moscow.

"The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest possible terms today’s terrorist attack at a concert hall outside Moscow, in which at least 40 people were reportedly killed and over 100 others injured," deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said in a statement.

He said Guterres expressed his "deep condolences" to Russia and wished a speedy recovery for those injured in the attack.

The attack took place in Krasnogorsk, the administrative center of the Moscow region, where the music band Picnic was performing at Crocus City Hall, according to preliminary information.

An explosion at the venue later caused a large fire. Russia's Emergency Ministry said about one-third of the building was engulfed in flames, with several helicopters working to extinguish the blaze.

The fate of the shooters remains unknown, with reports claiming they managed to flee the scene.

Guterres' statement comes after earlier remarks in which the UN expressed sorrow for the deadly attack.

Russia had criticized the organization for an earlier statement, saying the UN should be "appalled" not "saddened" by the attack.

- Terrorism ‘one of the most serious threats”

Security Council also condemned “the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack.”

“This reprehensible act of terrorism resulted in the grievous loss of dozens of lives,” Council members said in a statement, expressing their “deepest” sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the Russian people.

Council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes “one of the most serious threats” to international peace and security and underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.

They urged all states, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Council resolutions, to actively cooperate with Russia as well as all other relevant authorities.