UN secretary general denounces Baghdad suicide bombings
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned Sunday's terrorist attacks on the Iraqi capital that killed over 140 people.
According to latest media reports, at least 147 people were killed and more than 700 wounded as two suicide car bombings ripped through downtown Baghdad on Sunday morning in one of the deadliest attacks in the past few years. Iraqi authorities have announced a three-day mourning period.
The UN said in a statement: "The Secretary General is shocked and deeply saddened at the news of today's double car bombing attacks near the Iraqi Ministry of Justice and the Baghdad Provincial Governorate Building in central Baghdad, in which hundreds were killed and wounded."
"He strongly condemns these senseless and indiscriminate acts of violence that repeatedly target the innocent and aim to disrupt Iraq's recovery. The Secretary General extends his deep condolences to the bereaved families and his wishes for the speedy recovery of the wounded," the statement added.
One suicide car bombing targeted the Justice Ministry in the Iraqi capital, and was followed, in a few minutes, by another one aimed at a Baghdad government building. The Iraqi office of the Russia Today TV channel was also damaged in the blasts.
A source in the local security agencies said the explosions could have been targeted against Iraqi diplomats who were having a meeting in a hotel opposite the Justice Ministry building.
Terrorist attacks hit Iraq rather often. In August 2009, attacks on the finance and foreign ministries took over 100 lives. The deadliest ever suicide bombing took place in August 2007, when 237 people were killed and over 300 injured in northern Iraq.
