UN chief and Security Council strongly condemn terrorist attacks in Lebanon

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN Security Council have condemned the series of terrorist attacks that occurred yesterday in the northern Lebanese town of El-Qaa, which resulted in a number of civilian deaths and injuries.

“Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation,” Council members said in a statement issued on Monday night. “[It] should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group.”

According to media reports, suicide bombers killed at least five people and wounded another 28 in the town located in the Bekaa Valley, near the border with Syria.

In their statement, the Council members also stressed the need to suppress and prevent the financing of terrorism, terrorist organizations and individual terrorists, and underlined the need to bring the perpetrators of attack to justice.

In a separate statement issued today, the Secretary-General’s spokesperson said that in addition to strongly condemning the attacks, Mr. Ban also praised the important role played by the Lebanese security forces and encouraged continuous and coordinated international support to their efforts to protect and reinforce the country’s security and stability.

The Secretary-General and Council members also expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the people and Government of Lebanon, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.