The United Nations on Wednesday condemned the bombing of a hotel in northwestern Pakistan that killed several people, including two U.N. staff members. Local media reported as many as 18 people died in Tuesday's suicide attack. “The United Nations in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan strongly condemns the terrorist attack on the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar, last night, which claimed a number of human lives and left many injured,” the U.N. country team said in a statement issued in Islamabad. Aleksandar Vorkapic, who worked for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Perseveranda So of the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) both died in the attack, while four other U.N. staff members were injured. “The whole U.N. community feels shock and dismay on the tragic deaths and injuries,” the statement said. “We are determined to continue our humanitarian support to over 2 million Pakistani citizens who have been affected by the ongoing displacement crises,” Fikret Akcura, the U.N. resident coordinator in Pakistan, said in a second statement condemning the attack. Late Tuesday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack as “a heinous terrorist attack which no cause can justify.”
