UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned the attack on a mosque in northern Burkina Faso, which killed at least 15 worshipers, said his spokesman on Saturday.
The attack took place in the village of Salmossi in the northern province of Oudalan on Friday evening, but was not reported until Saturday.
The Secretary-General expressed his deep condolences to the families of the deceased and the government and people of Burkina Faso. He wished a speedy recovery to the injured, said his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, in a statement.
The secretary-general reiterated the commitment of the United Nations to work with Burkina Faso to promote social cohesion and ensure the country stays on the path toward sustainable development, said the statement.
Earlier Saturday, the head of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Miguel Angel Moratinos, also condemned the attack.
Moratinos stressed that all forms of violence and acts of terror targeting religious sites and worshipers, regardless of their faiths and beliefs, are unjustifiable, said his spokesperson, Nihal Saad, in a statement.
Moratinos reiterated that houses of worship should not be sites for bloodshed and terror, said the statement.
Local reports said the deadly attack took place during prayers on Friday evening when unidentified gunmen opened fire inside the mosque.
