Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attacks in Baghdad

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta (Egypt):

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the three terrorist attacks on 11 May in Baghdad, which resulted in the deaths of at least 93 people, as well as many more injured persons, for which Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Da’esh, has claimed responsibility.  The members of the Security Council lamented that these latest victims are a sad addition to the thousands of Iraqi civilians killed this year.

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

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

The members of the Security Council welcomed the efforts of the Government of Iraq and its partners to counter ISIL (Da’esh) and return stability to the country.

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, and urged 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.

The members of the Security Council 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).

The members of the Security 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.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.