Secretary-General Condemns in Strongest Terms ‘Outrageous and Cowardly’

 

Attack against United Nations Office in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan

 

The following statement by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was issued today:

I condemn in the strongest terms the outrageous and cowardly attack against the United Nations office in Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan.  Our reports are still preliminary, but it appears that three United Nations international staff, as well as four international security officers, were killed in the attack.  My Special Representative, Staffan de Mistura, has travelled to Mazar-i-Sharif and is personally overseeing the investigation.

Those who lost their lives in today’s attack were dedicated to the cause of peace in Afghanistan and to a better life for all Afghans.  These brave men and women were working in the best tradition of the United Nations and gave their lives in the service of humanity.

I express my sincere condolences to the families and colleagues of those who were lost and call on the Afghan Government to thoroughly investigate this incident and bring its perpetrators to justice.

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For information media • not an official record