Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

UN Continues to Stand With Afghans in Solidarity: Envoy

UN Continues to  Stand With Afghans in Solidarity: Envoy

KABUL - UN envoy says those who are working for peace in this challenging environment have his utmost respect.
The United Nations continues to stand with all Afghans in solidarity and remains committed, along with the broader international community, to an Afghan-led peace process that will end the war, the UN envoy in Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto said in statement on Monday’s attack against a gathering of religious scholars.
The attack against a group of religious leaders peacefully gathered in Kabul to issue a joint declaration that would contribute to a safer and more secure Afghanistan is totally unacceptable, Yamamoto, adding that “I am outraged by this attack and condemn it. I continue to be outraged at those extremist groups seeking to derail efforts made in the interest of peace”.
“The group of scholars gathered on Monday were seeking to make headway and provide appropriate guidance against extremist forces directly targeting civilians, whether at polling centres, religious gatherings or anywhere else civilians may be peacefully assembled,” he said.
“There is simply no justification for targeting them or any other civilians, at any time, under any circumstances. Doing so may amount to a war crime, and those who are responsible for enabling such attacks must be brought to justice and held to account,” he added.
The United Nations continues to stand with all Afghans in solidarity, and remains committed, along with the broader international community, to an Afghan-led peace process that will end the war and enable Afghanistan to allocate more resources to protect all citizens from such atrocities, the organization said in a statement.
“On behalf of the United Nations in Afghanistan, I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the families of the victims killed in yesterday’s attack and wish a full and speedy recovery to those injured,” Yamamoto added.
On Monday, a suicide bomber targeted a gathering of religious scholars in Kabul that killed 14 people including seven religious scholars.
Officials said that 17 others were wounded in the suicide bombing.
The explosion happened near a gathering of over 2,000 religious scholars at Loya Jirga, the Grand Assembly, tent close to Kabul Polytechnic University sharply after the Ulema issued a fatwa against the ongoing war in the country.
Taliban denied any involvement in the attack. (Tolo news)