The United States, European Union and United Nations condemned the attack. But the Taliban also came forward to condemn the attack. A “coordinated, clear and decisive stance” by countries in the region against terrorism is required, Taliban Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Kahar Balchi wrote on X on Saturday.
Balchi described the Islamic State (IS) as a group “in the hands of secret services that aims to defame Islam.” It was only on Thursday that the terrorist militia claimed responsibility for an attack in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. The city is considered a religious and political center of power with the residence of Taliban leader Haibatullah Achundsada.
Analyse:
IS, with a regional branch, is also active in the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan and is in conflict with the Islamist Taliban, who promised security when they came to power again two and a half years ago.
The terrorist militia IS claimed responsibility for the attack near Moscow on Friday evening, as the IS mouthpiece Amak reported on the Internet, citing unnamed sources. More than 115 people were killed.
“Heinous crime”
The US government condemned the attack. It was a “heinous crime,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday. “We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the Russian people who mourn the loss of life caused by this terrible event.” The US government expresses its condolences to the victims’ families.
Picture gallery: Grief and horror after attack on concert hall near Moscow
UKRAINE-RUSSIA-ATTACK-SHOOTING-CONFLICT (Foto: STRINGER (AFP)) Bild 1/32
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The European Union also condemned the attack. The EU is shocked and horrified, wrote EU Commission spokesman Peter Stano on X. The EU condemns any attacks on civilians. “Our thoughts are with all affected Russian citizens.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the UN Security Council also condemned the attack.
“We condemn the terrible terrorist attack on innocent concert-goers in Moscow,” said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron expressed his condolences to the affected families. “Nothing can ever justify such terrible violence,” Cameron wrote on
Austria also reacts
The local government also reacted: “The terrible images of the attack on a concert hall in Moscow are shocking,” wrote Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and the Russian people.” Almost identically, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said: “The terrible images of the attack that are reaching us from Moscow shock us all. Our thoughts are with the families of the many dead and injured.” And Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg: “Shocked by the terrible news (…) Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and we wish all those injured a speedy recovery. We are in constant contact with the Austrian embassy in Moscow and are closely monitoring the events. ” National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka: “Whoever is behind this terrible act, the killing of defenseless civilians is and remains a barbaric act.”
The Russian ambassador to Austria, Dmitri Ljubinski, thanked everyone for their sympathy. At the same time, he criticized on Telegram that “not a word was said about terrorism or condemnation of the barbaric act of terror.” Flowers and candles were laid in front of the embassy in Vienna-Landstrasse.
Picture gallery: The first pictures: shooters opened fire in the Moscow concert hall
(Photo: STRINGER (AFP)) Bild 1/11
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The reaction of former Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, who is the target of international criticism because of her proximity to Russian President Vladimir Putin, was similar. The attack was an “ordered terrorist attack”. “The impression is that this is an organized crime that has a political background,” she said in an interview with Rossiya1 broadcaster on Saturday, according to the Russian state agency TASS. The attack is directed against the government. Kneissl regretted what she saw as the lack of participation from Europe and Austria in the attack. “I regret that in the European Union, including in my country (Austria), many prominent personalities do not fully condemn this act of the terrorists,” she was quoted as saying.
“Strongly condemned”
“The cruel terrorist attack in Moscow must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” said Italian President Sergio Mattarella in a press release. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also wrote of the “horror of the massacre of innocent civilians” as a “heinous act of terrorism.” Like them, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke on Saturday of a “heinous terrorist attack.” “Terrorism is unacceptable, no matter where it comes from and who the attackers are,” Erdogan said at a public appearance in Ankara. Turkey shares Russia’s suffering, he added. “We will continue to fight against terror, the common enemy of humanity.”
Viktor Orbán expressed his condolences
The right-wing nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed his deepest condolences to the people of the Russian Federation and said: “We pray for the families of the victims.” Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico asked Russia to cooperate. “Every country in the world has the duty to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, regardless of who suffers from its consequences, and in this sense I offered the ambassador my cooperation,” said the prime minister after a telephone conversation with the Russian ambassador in the Slovakia.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that the attack could be used as a pretext for escalation. “Poland strongly condemns this brutal attack,” Tusk said on Saturday on the online service
