UN Urges End to 'Senseless Bloodshed' After Attacks

Wednesday, 31 July 2013, 2:23 pm
Press Release: UN News

Iraq: UN Envoy Urges End to 'Senseless Bloodshed' After Latest Wave of Attacks

The United Nations envoy in Iraq has called on political leaders to take immediate action to end the "senseless bloodshed" that has gripped the country, as dozens more civilians have lost their lives in the latest wave of attacks.

Several car bombs have killed at least 51 people and injured more than 200 in mostly Shia areas of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and in other cities around the country, according to media reports.

"I am deeply concerned about the heightened level of violence, which carries the danger that the country falls back into sectarian strife," the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Gyorgy Busztin, said in a news release.

"Iraq is bleeding from random violence, which sadly reached record heights during the holy month of Ramadan," noted Mr. Busztin, who serves with the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

He urged all political leaders to take immediate and decisive action to stop the "senseless bloodshed," the news release stated.

ENDS

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