Q: Good morning, sir. We have heard that several colleagues of the United Nations were killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, on 17 January. I was wondering: What is your reaction to that?

SG: This is another sad moment for the United Nations where our distinguished four colleagues have been killed by a terrorist attack in Kabul. I extend my deepest condolences to the families of Basra Hassan of the United States, Nasrin Jamal of Pakistan, Khanjar Wabel Abdallah of Lebanon and Vadim Nazarov of Russia.  And I also wish all the best and speedy recovery to all the wounded people.

On many occasions, I have condemned in the strongest possible terms the reckless terrorist attacks against civilians. This is totally unacceptable and this is a violation of international humanitarian law. All the perpetrators must be held accountable.

As the United Nations mourns this terrorist attack and its victims, we remain committed to work for the peace, stability and development of Afghanistan. We fully support the transition of Afghanistan toward a better future in peace, development and security. Thank you.