Violence in Libya And the Middle East

Ban Disturbed by Violence in Libya And the Middle East, Calls for Restraint

New York, Sep 14 2012 10:10AM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he is “deeply disturbed” by the recent violence in Libya and elsewhere in the Middle East and called for calm and restraint to end hostilities.

A <"http://www.un.org/sg/statements/index.asp?nid=6291">statement issued by Mr. Ban’s Spokesperson last night said the Secretary-General “condemns the hateful film that appears to have been deliberately designed to sow bigotry and bloodshed,” and stressed that at this time of tensions there is a need for “dialogue, mutual respect and understanding.”

On Tuesday night, the United States Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, came under attack by extremists, which led to the death of the ambassador to the country, Christopher Stevens and three other diplomats.

According to media reports, the extremists are said to have attacked the location in protest against an anti-Islamic video produced in the state of California by a US citizen.

Demonstrations against the film first erupted in Egypt on Tuesday, when Islamist protesters scaled the US embassy walls and replaced the flag with an Islamic one. The violence reportedly left more than 200 injured.

On Thursday, demonstrators in Yemen stormed the US embassy compound but were unable to break into the main building. The incident led to one death and injured 15 others.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) <"http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=12254&ctl=Details&mid=15756&ItemID=35715&language=en-US">deplored the film calling it “insulting and inflammatory” stressing that defamation of religion in all forms is unacceptable. The Mission called on all Afghans to exercise restraint and reject calls to violence or vicious behaviour.
Sep 14 2012 10:10AM

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