Security Council condemns in ‘strongest terms’ terror attack on Iraqi parliament

The United Nations Security Council today condemned in the “strongest terms” the deadly terrorist attack on Iraq’s Parliament, calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and urging all States to cooperate with Iraqi authorities.

Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry of the United Kingdom, which holds this month’s Council Presidency, read out a statement reaffirming the 15-member body’s view that all terrorism is unjustifiable and constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace.

“The Security Council underlines the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, and urges all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Iraqi authorities in this regard,” he said.

“[It] further reaffirms the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts,” he added.

States “must ensure that any measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.”

Thursday’s attack has also been roundly condemned by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as well as by his Special Representative to Iraq, Ashraf Qazi. Mr. Ban said it had “targeted Iraq’s elected officials and attempted to undermine one of the country’s sovereign institutions.”