国际英语新闻：UN Security Council slams suicide attack in Afghan capital

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Thursday condemned "in the strongest terms" the "terrorist" suicide attack that occurred at the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, earlier in the day.

    In a statement read out by Vietnam's UN Ambassador Le Luong Minh, the council's president in this month, the 15-member body "regretted that this was the second such attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul in the past two years."

    Noting that the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attacks, which caused "numerous deaths and injuries," the council underlined the need to bring those responsible for "this reprehensible act of terrorism to justice," and urged all states to cooperate actively with the Afghan authorities in this regard.

A man stands at the site of a bomb blast next to the Indian embassy in Kabul October 8, 2009. A large bomb exploded near the Indian embassy in the centre of the Afghan capital on Thursday, killing 12 people and wounding 83, the Interior Ministry said.

    The council reiterated their "serious concern at the threats posed by the Taliban, al-Qaida, and illegal armed groups" to the local populations, Afghan and international forces and humanitarian workers.

A victim of a bomb blast recuperates at a hospital in Kabul October 8, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

It reaffirmed the need to "combat by all means ... threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts."

    UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a statement issued by his press office, also strongly condemned Thursday's "senseless attack" that reportedly killed 17 people and injured another 80.

    Ban offered his "deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and his best wishes for a swift recovery to those that were injured."

    On Thursday afternoon, the Security Council adopted a resolution to extend the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan for another 12 months.

    The resolution authorized ISAF to "take all necessary measures to fulfill its mandate," and urged member states to contribute personnel, equipment and other resources to ISAF.

Afghan policemen keep watch at the site of a blast outside the Indian embassy in Kabul October 8, 2009.