UN Sec Gen condemns terrorist attack in Rafah

CAIRO – 8 July 2017: The United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General, António Guterres, condemned in a statement on Saturday the “terrorist attack against a checkpoint in Rafah, Egypt.” The U.N. Secretary General and the Security Council have “underscored the need to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

The statement “reiterated the U.N.'s support to the Government of Egypt in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism.”

The statement further added Guterres “hopes those responsible for the cowardly act will be swiftly brought to justice.”

Guterres also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Egypt, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

Furthermore, members of the U.N. Security Council condemned in a statement on Friday the terrorist attack and reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

“Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever they are committed,” according to the statement.

On Friday, terrorists in a vehicle targeted a number of security checkpoints south of Rafah city in North Sinai leaving at least 27 soldiers killed and injured in the attack.

Earlier, on June 15 the U.N. General Assembly approved the establishment of a new U.N. office to help member states implement the organization's global counter-terrorism strategy. Furthermore, the 193 member states of the U.N. General Assembly welcomed Guterres’ initiative to transfer relevant functions out of the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and into the new U.N. Office of Counter-Terrorism.

The U.N. Office of Counter-Terrorism would have five main functions: provide leadership on the General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates; enhance coordination to ensure the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy pillars; capacity building of member States in the field of counter-terrorism; improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for U.N. counter-terrorism efforts; and ensure that priority is given to counterterrorism across the U.N. system and that the important work of preventing violent extremism is firmly rooted in the strategy.