UNSC condemns terrorist attack on Turkish Embassy in Somalia
By Sara Rajabova
On the initiative of Azerbaijan the UN Security Council issued a press statement condemning the terrorist attack on the Turkish Embassy in Somalia, the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations reported.
A car bomb in the capital of Somalia - Mogadishu on July 27 rammed the gate of a residential compound belonging to the Turkish embassy. Later on the local police reported that the target of a car packed with explosives was this building.
According to the Turkish government, one Turkish policeman was killed when the mission's guards clashed with the attackers as they attempted to enter the complex. Also, the three Turkish security officers were wounded in the Mogadishu bombing attack.
The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks, expressed their sincere condolences to the families of the victims of these heinous acts, and to the Government and people of Turkey and underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.
The Security Council members also censured the new and recurring acts of violence against diplomatic and consular representatives, which endanger or take innocent lives and seriously impede the normal work of such representatives and officials.
"The members of the Security Council recalled the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises, and the obligations on host governments, including under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to take all appropriate steps to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage, and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of these missions or impairment of their dignity, and to prevent any attack on diplomatic agents and consular officers," the statement said.
In addition, the Council members reaffirmed their continued support for the political process and for peace and stability in Somalia.
Turkey has strongly condemned a bombing attack on the Turkish mission in the Somali capital on last Saturday in the "strongest terms possible," maintaining that it would continue to provide help to the country.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who became the first non-African leader to visit Somalia in nearly 20 years when he traveled there in 2011, said the attack was carried out by "supposed Muslims."
Azerbaijan also condemns the terrorist attack against the Turkish embassy in Mogadishu.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesman Elman Abdullayev has recently said Baku is deeply concerned about this terrorist attack.
The Islamist militia al-Shabaab with connections to al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for an attack.
Also, Somalia government has condemned the attack. A Somali presidential spokesman said the attackers wanted Turkey to stop helping the country.
Turkey is a key player in Somalia, providing humanitarian aid and state-building assistance to the war-torn nation.