Americas

Americas

UN chief slams deadly terrorist attacks in Yemen

08 March 2012 05:01 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks in Yemen, which killed at least 26 officers and 180 soldiers, saying that "peace, security and stability can only be achieved through an inclusive political engagement" in the country, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"The secretary-general condemns in the strongest terms the recent terrorist attacks in Yemen, particularly the bombing attack on February 25 at the Presidential Palace in Mukalla which killed at least 26 officers and Sunday’s attacks on military bases in southern Yemen which reportedly left over 180 soldiers dead," said a statement issued here by Ban’s spokesman late Wednesday.

"The secretary-general welcomes the commitment of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to combat terrorism in Yemen, including the threat of al-Qaida and associated groups," it said.

The secretary-general called on "all sides in Yemen to prepare for a transparent, inclusive and meaningful National Dialogue Process."

"The United Nations remains strongly committed to support these efforts," it said.

Earlier in the day, the UN Security Council "condemned in the strongest terms" the recent "heinous acts" of terrorism that occurred in Yemen’s southern province of Abyan.

"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the recent terrorist attacks that occurred in Abyan causing numerous deaths and injuries," said a statement read to the press by British UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, whose country holds this month’s Security Council presidency.

Earlier this week, dozens of al-Qaida militants attacked an army outpost in the neighboring southern province of Abyan, killing more than 180 soldiers and looting the base along with its heavy weaponry, tanks and armored vehicles, according to senior army officials.

Suicide car bombings and violent attacks against the army have increased over the past two weeks. A deadly suicide bombing targeting the presidential palace in the southern province of Hadramout killed nearly 30 soldiers of the elite Republican Guard forces.