Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attacks in Afghanistan

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Joanna Wronecka (Poland):

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack on a bus full of civilians traveling along the Kandahar-Herat Highway in Western Afghanistan on 31 July 2019, which resulted in at least 34 people killed and more than a dozen injured.

The members of the Security Council also condemned in the strongest terms several terrorist attacks that took place in Afghanistan over the past week, including on 25 July 2019 in Kabul, Takhar and Nangarhar provinces, and on 29 July 2019 in Kabul, Afghanistan — attacks resulting in numerous casualties and injuries, many of them civilians.

The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government of Afghanistan and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of Afghanistan and all other relevant authorities in this regard.

The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.  They 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, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.