Sunday, June 12, 2016
Kabul (BNA) The United Nations Assistant Mission in Afghanistan condemned the attack targeting civilians gathered for Friday prayers at the Hisarak grand Mosque in Rudat district of Nangarhar province here the other day, which killed at least three civilians and injured more than 70 others – including 31 boys – with at least two in critical condition.
“An attack deliberately targeting civilian members of a community praying together in a mosque can never be justified and highlights the perpetrators’ intent to destroy lives, and spread terror among the civilian population”, the statement from UNAMA said, adding that International humanitarian law prohibits the deliberate targeting of civilians, including at their places of worship, and imposes a specific obligation on combatant parties to allow religious personnel to carry out their work. At face value, this attack is a war crime and the perpetrators must be held accountable.
“On behalf of the United Nations in Afghanistan, I express our deep condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery for the injured”, Nicholas Haysom, head of the UNAMA in Kabul was quoted in the statement.
