UN chief slams deadly terrorist attack in Peshawar
Pakistan
The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.
UNITED NATIONS (Dunya News) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the Monday’s suicide bombing at a mosque in Peshawar in which at least 83 people were martyred and many more wounded, saying it was "particularly abhorrent" that the attack occurred at a place of worship.
"Freedom of religion or belief, including the ability to worship in peace and security, is a universal human right," his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement he read out at the regular noon briefing at UN Headquarters in New York.
"The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a prompt recovery to those injured," the statement said.
It added, "The Secretary-General reiterates the solidarity of the United Nations with the government and people of Pakistan in their efforts to address terrorism and violent extremism."
Replying to a question about the increasing number of attacks taking place across Pakistan for which the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), using the Afghan soil, has claimed the responsibility, the spokesman said that "every government or every authority that has control over (its) territory has a responsibility towards the international community to make sure that their territory is not being used for terrorist activities."
Meanwhile, the President of the UN General Assembly Csaba Korosi also strongly condemned the attack in Peshawar, saying, "Targeting people as they pray is a truly horrid and cowardly attack."
