Kabul deadly suicide attack globally condemned

Kabul’s deadly suicide bombing and gunfire that killed 64 people and injured 330 has globally condemned.

The United Nations security council, the White House, US department of state, European Union, NATO and Pakistan’s Prime Minister have strongly condemned yesterday’s bloody attack in Kabul.

United Nation

The U.N. Security Council has condemned the Taliban attack in Kabul “in the strongest terms” and urged that those involved be brought to justice.

The Security Council said in a statement it condemned all forms of terrorism and noted the dangers that the Taliban, al-Qaida and the Islamic State group present in Afghanistan.

“No violent or terrorist acts can reverse the Afghan-led process along the path towards peace, democracy and stability,” the statement said.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sent his condolences to the victims and their families following the Taliban attack on a government security agency in Kabul.

He strongly condemned and said “there is no justification whatsoever for attacking civilian people as well as security people.”

Ban also urged the international community to cooperate in tacking violent extremist, saying, “we must fight against these terrorist attacks.”

In separate statement the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned the Taliban attack in Kabul.

“This attack shows the devastation caused by the use of explosive devices in urban areas and once more demonstrates complete disregard for the lives of Afghan civilians,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. “The use of high explosives in civilian populated areas, in circumstances almost certain to cause immense suffering to civilians, may amount to war crimes.”

The White House slammed Kabul attack

The White House has condemned the Taliban attack in Kabul and urged the insurgent group to choose the “pathway of peace.”

White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the United States remains “committed to supporting the Afghan people and their government.”

He says the U.S. also calls “on the Taliban to pursue a pathway of peace instead of continuing a military campaign responsible for the senseless death of Afghan civilians.”

Earnest added that U.S. supports the Afghan security forces as they work to promote peace and stability in the region and as both sides counter the “threat of terrorism that affects all of us.”

US embassy

The United States Embassy also condemned Kabul’s attack, saying; it supports the Afghan government’s peace process to end such violence.

NATO

The commander of the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission in Afghanistan condemned the coordinated suicide attack in capital Kabul.

“Kabul’s attack shows the insurgents are unable to meet Afghan forces on the battlefield and must resort to these terrorist attacks,” said Resolute Support Commander, Gen. John W. Nicholson. “We strongly condemn the actions of Afghanistan’s enemies and remain firmly committed to supporting our Afghan partners and the National Unity Government.”

“As the United Nations reported last week, the Taliban and other insurgent groups are responsible for the large majority of the civilian casualties that have occurred in 2016,” said Nicholson.

A statement by the alliance said “Resolute Support expresses its deepest condolences to those affected by this contemptible act of violence. We will continue to assist our Afghan partners in achieving a sustainable peace as well as security for the people of Afghanistan.”

European Union (EU)

European Union Foreign policy Chief Federica Mogherini says the incident underlines the importance of working to achieve peace and stability in the region.

“In a day when we have seen an attack in Kabul that shows us how fragile the situation on the security level is in the country and that reminds us even more on the need to continue to work with a lot of energy and attention in partnership with the Afghan leadership to stabilize the country not only to provide security but also economic development and reinforcement of the institutions in the country.”

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: “By rejecting the opportunity to enter peace talks and instead targeting innocent civilians, the Taliban have demonstrated their total disregard for the Afghan people.”

Hammond said the UK stood resolute in support of their Afghan friends and called on the Taliban to end senseless violence against civilians.

Pakistan

Pakistani government condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and expresses solidarity with the government and brotherly people of Afghanistan in their hour of grief.

Nawaz termed terrorism and extremism a threat for both Pakistan and Afghanistan and peace and stability in the respective societies.

“We extend our heartfelt sympathies and condolences to those who have lost their loved ones and pray for an early recovery of the injured,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and expressed solidarity with the government and people of Afghanistan.

This comes as the death toll from Tuesday’s Taliban attack in Kabul rose sharply overnight from 28 to 64.

There has been speculation that the government tried to keep military casualties hidden. But Javid Faisal, the spokesman for government chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, said the delay in updating casualty numbers was due to dispersion of injured people across the city’s hospitals. He did, however, confirm that a number of military personnel had been killed, including some who had worked for Abdullah.

Hundreds of family members of the victims gathered at area hospitals awaiting word of their conditions overnight and Kabul residents started an emergency blood donation campaign to help the victims.