INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The United Nations in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned Friday&s deadly attack on a mosque in Kabul, which resulted in the death of at least
10 people.UNAMA said in a statement that the attack on the Khalifa Sahib Mosque &is the latest in a series of indiscriminate assaults on
civilian targets in the capital and provinces.According to UNAMA, two UN staff members and their families were also in the mosque at the
time of the explosion.Today&s attack, carried out on the last Friday of the Holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Eid-ul-Fitr, totally
disregards human lives and religious sanctity.No words are strong enough to condemn this despicable act, targeting a place of worship, as
Muslims across Afghanistan prepare to celebrate the Eid,& said Mette Knudsen, the UN Secretary-General&s Deputy Special Representative for
Afghanistan.Recent attacks against civilians, targeting ethnic and religious minorities, represent a disturbing trend in Afghanistan
These violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws must end immediately,& he said.Friday&s explosion follows a spate of
attacks in recent weeks in mosques and schools in the major cities of Kabul, Kunduz and Mazar-e-Sharif.Friday&s attack has however sparked
widespread condemnation from a number of foreign countries and international communities.US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas
West tweeted early Saturday: &I condemn the senseless and terrible attacks against innocent Afghans this past week, including at Khalifa
Perpetrators must be brought to justice.The European Union, was among those that condemned the incident and said: &Another explosion shook
Kabul, targeting worshippers during their Friday prayers and taking the lives of many
It comes in a series of heinous and coward attacks on civilians gathering in a market, school or a mosque in this holy month of Ramadan.The
European Union mourns with the families of the victims and wishes those injured a full and speedy recovery
Terror has no place in any religion or faith,& read their statement.The EU also called on the Afghan authorities to ensure safety and
security of all Afghan citizens and to hold those responsible to account.It is imperative to implement effective counter-terrorism policies
and measures that eradicate the threat of terrorism both inside and from Afghanistan&s territory,& their statement read.Pakistan&s Prime
Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif has also strongly condemned Friday&s blast in Kabul and &expressed his deep sense of grief and sorrow at
the loss of precious lives and conveyed his condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families&.Pakistan&s ministry of foreign affairs also
issued a statement and said: &We express support and solidarity to the Afghan brethren in effectively countering the challenge of
terrorism.The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meanwhile called for a &more resolute stand by the de
facto authorities against whoever sponsors or orchestrates& the attacks.The OIC said in a series of tweets that these repeated and
indiscriminate attacks &reflect the unabated volatility of the security situation in Afghanistan&
The organization also called for a more resolute stand by the de facto authorities against whoever sponsors or orchestrates them.Friday&s
explosion was the latest in a string of attacks targeting civilians
The blast ripped through a mosque in Kabul city, leaving dozens dead and wounded
On Thursday, two more explosions were reported in Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province also leaving dozens dead and wounded.The post UNAMA, US
and OIC among many to condemn Kabul mosque explosion first appeared on Ariana News.
