UN Security Council slams deadly terrorist attack on bus in northern Kenya

The UN Security Council on Monday strongly condemned the attack on a commuter bus in northern Kenya, which killed at least 28 people Saturday, saying "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security."

"The members of the Security Council strongly condemn Saturday' s attack in Mandera, Kenya for which Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility and which has caused the deaths of numerous innocent people," said the 15-nation UN body in a statement issued here to the press.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation, wherever and whenever and by whomsoever committed, said the statement.

The Council reiterated their determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with their responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations. They underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all states, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with relevant regional authorities in this regard, said the statement.

The Security Council also urged countries to ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, and reiterated their resolute and long-standing support to all actors working to end the threat posed by Al Shabaab in the region.

On Saturday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack and voiced his hope that "those responsible for today's attack will be brought to justice swiftly."

Al-Shabaab militants attacked the bus early Saturday. The bus was traveling to the capital, Nairobi, when it was stopped in Mandera county, not far from the Somali border.

A statement on a website linked to the Islamist group said the Saturday attack was staged in retaliation for security raids on mosques in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa earlier this week, reports said.

Since Kenya sent troops across the border into Somalia in 2011, northern and parts of eastern Kenya have been hit by a series of blasts, with many targeting local security forces and humanitarian workers. Enditem