UN chief condemns Kabul attack

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today strongly condemned the terror attack in Kabul's diplomatic enclave that killed scores of people and asserted that those responsible for the assault must be brought to justice.
"The Secretary-General expressed his abhorrence at this act and underlined the need to reinforce the fight against terrorism and violent extremism," a statement issued by Guterres's spokesman said.
The UN Chief said "indiscriminate" attacks against civilians are grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and can never be justified.
"Those responsible for today's attack must be brought to justice," the statement said.
The terror attack in which at least 90 people were killed was widely condemned by nations across the world. The impact of the explosion shattered the windows of the Indian Embassy. New Delhi said all staff at its embassy were safe.

In a strongly-worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the continuing violence even during the holy and pious month of Ramzan reflects the diabolical nature of the perpetrators and their supporters.

Condemning the terrorist attack in the Afghan capital, the United Nations mission there called on all parties to the conflict to "strictly adhere" to their obligations under international humanitarian law and to take all feasible measures to protect civilians from harm.
"Beyond the immeasurable human suffering caused by today's attack, the deliberate detonation of a massive truck bomb in a civilian area, particularly during the peaceful month of Ramadan, is morally reprehensible and an outrage," Tadamichi Yamamoto, the head of the UN Assistance Mission, known as UNAMA, said in a statement.

A suicide attacker detonated a vehicle-borne explosive device in downtown Kabul's Wazir Akhbar Khan area, which also houses a number of diplomatic missions.
In addition to the loss of lives and injuries, the explosion also resulted in considerable damage to the surrounding areas, with some embassies being seriously affected.
Yamamoto, who is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, underscored that the terrorist attack is a serious violation of humanitarian law.
"There can be no exceptions: the use of explosive weapons in civilian-populated areas must stop," he said.