Iraq: UN Security Council strongly condemns terrorist attacks in Baghdad

The United Nations Security Council today condemned in the strongest terms the three terrorist attacks that occurred yesterday in Baghdad, which resulted in at least 93 deaths and many more injuries.

In a press statement, the members of the Council lamented that the latest victims of the attacks – for which the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) has claimed responsibility – are a “sad addition to the thousands of Iraqi civilians killed this year.”

Condemning all attacks perpetrated by ISIL against the people of Iraq in an attempt to destabilize the country and region, the members of the Council reiterated their commitment to Iraq’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity, as well as to its security.

Welcoming the efforts of the Government of Iraq and its partners to counter ISIL and return stability to the country, the Council underlined the need to bring the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, urging all States to actively cooperate with the Iraqi authorities in this regard.

The Council also stressed the need to take measures to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism, terrorist organizations and individual terrorists in accordance with resolutions 2199 (2015) and 2253 (2015).

In addition, the Council reiterated that “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation and wherever, whenever and by whomsoever it is committed, and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group.”

In that regard, the Council reaffirmed the need for all States to combat, by all means, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

The members of the Council also expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and Government of Iraq, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.