Sri Lanka calls for action against terror

The Sri Lankan government Friday called for decisive action against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations following an attack on an Indian consulate in Afghanistan.

A statement by the external affairs ministry said that the Sri Lankan government unequivocally condemned the terrorist attack on the Indian consulate in Herat province in western Afghanistan earlier in the day, Xinhua reported.

"The targeting of a diplomatic mission is a matter of serious concern that should draw the attention of the wider international community, and underscores Sri Lanka's consistent call for concerted and decisive action to combat the menace of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," the external affairs ministry said.

The ministry noted that it was fortuitous that there were no casualties among the consulate staff following the attack in Afghanistan.

India said that its personnel "are safe" after its consulate in the Afghan city of Herat had been attacked by gunmen.

The attack came as Afghan President Hamid Karzai accepted Indian prime minister-elect Narendra Modi's invitation to attend his oath taking ceremony Monday.