UN strongly condemns deadly suicide attack in northern Afghanistan --- 18 March 2014 – The United Nations strongly condemned a deadly suicide attack that occurred today in the northern Afghan province of Faryab, killing 15 civilians and injuring nearly 50 others. -- According to reports, a suicide attacker with a body-borne improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in the centre of the provincial capital, Maimana. Local health officials have confirmed that two children were among those killed, and the injured included a pregnant woman. -- “The continuing rise in civilian deaths from IEDs is tragic. Their use in a distinctly civilian location such as a market is atrocious and cannot be justified,” the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, Nicholas Haysom, said in a statement. -- He reiterated the many calls made by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for an immediate stop to the indiscriminate use of IEDs, especially in areas known to be populated by civilians. -- UNAMA stressed that the indiscriminate use of IEDs may amount to a war crime. International humanitarian law – which binds all parties to the armed conflict in Afghanistan – strictly prohibits the use of weapons and attacks that do not distinguish between civilians and military objectives. --- “The members of the Security Council reiterated that no terrorist act can reverse the path towards Afghan-led peace, democracy and stability in Afghanistan, which is supported by the people and the Government of Afghanistan and the international community,” said Sylvie Lucas, Permanent Representative of Luxemburg, which holds the Council’s rotating presidency for the month. - More, UN, at: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47370&Cr=afghan&Cr1=