UN Security Council condemns Daesh attack on Jalalabad prison attack

The UN Security Council has condemned Sunday’s attack on Jalalabad prison and said terrorism in all its forms constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. 

This comes after Daesh militants attacked the prison on Sunday evening. The siege lasted at least 18 hours and 30 people were killed. 

Daesh immediately claimed responsibility for the incident and later issued information and photographs of the 11 attackers who had been involved. Only three were reportedly Afghan. The rest were Tajiks, Indians and one Pakistani.  

In a statement issued late Wednesday by the council’s president, Dian Triansyah Djani,  the Security Council said: “The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them 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 Afghanistan and all other relevant authorities in this regard.”

The Security Council 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, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations 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.

The council also expressed its sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Afghan government.