UN chief condemns Uri attack, extends condolence

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the attack on the Indian Army base in Uri which killed 17 soldiers yesterday.

A statement from the spokesman for Ban Ki-moon said, "The Secretary-General condemns today's militant attack in Uri, India-administered Jammu and Kashmir. He expresses his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives and to the Government of India. He wishes a speedy recovery to those injured. The Secretary-General hopes that the perpetrators of this crime will be identified and brought to justice."

The statement said that the UN is closely following the developments in the case and shares the concerns of people living in the region for peace.

"The Secretary-General hopes that all involved will prioritize the re-establishment of stability and prevent any further loss of life. He encourages all stakeholders to meet their respective responsibilities to maintain peace and stability," the statement added.

17 Indian Army soldiers were killed yesterday in an encounter with the terrorists at the Army Brigade headquarters in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir. This is the highest casualty the army has suffered in a single attack in years.

All four terrorists involved in the attack were killed in what has emerged as worse than the attack on the Pathankot air base earlier in January this year, in which seven army men were killed.