TEHRAN, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Sunday strongly condemned a deadly "terrorist" attack on a secondary school in southwestern Uganda that killed at least 41 people.
Nasser Kanaani made the remarks in a statement published on the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website, reacting to the attack by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels on Lhubirira Secondary School on Friday night in Mpondwe, about 2 km from the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in which at least 37 students, a security guard and three people of the local community were killed.
He described the "heinous act of terror" in Uganda as a cause of concern, noting that the "brutal" attack once against proved that terrorism and extremism are two overreaching threats to the international community, the fight against which requires cooperation among and responsible efforts by the global community and related international assemblies.
Expressing his sympathy to the families of those killed and injured in the attack, Kanaani hoped that through a "serious and effective" fight against extremism and terrorism, peace and stability would be ensured across the world, in particular in Africa.
The rebels, according to the military, burnt a school dormitory and also looted a food store. Among the victims, at least 17 students were burnt to death.
The militants abducted six students and forced them to carry the food, Felix Kulayigye, Uganda's military spokesperson, told Xinhua by phone.
The ADF, which is a branch of the Islamic State in Central Africa, is a Ugandan rebel group that is holed up in the jungles of eastern DRC. The rebel group is blamed for causing havoc in villages in eastern DRC. ■
