The United Nations Security Council on Friday condemned a deadly attack at Kabul's airport in Afghanistan as "especially abhorrent" for targeting civilians trying to flee the country after the Taliban came to power and people helping with the evacuation.
The 15-member council agreed on the statement after a reference to the Taliban - stressing that the Islamist group should not support "terrorists operating on the territory of any country" - was removed at the request of China, diplomats said.
"Deliberately targeting civilians and personnel assisting in the evacuation of civilians is especially abhorrent and must be condemned," said the council, underlining the need to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors accountable.
The council also "reiterated the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan to ensure the territory of Afghanistan should not be used to threaten or attack any country, and that no Afghan group or individual should support terrorists operating on the territory of any country."