UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Miguel Moratinos, the high representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), on Monday condemned the terrorist attack in Burkina Faso.
Moratinos "strongly condemns the terrorist attack on a church in Hantoukoura, in the eastern part of the country on Sunday," according to a press statement issued by his spokesperson Nihal Saad.
The attack killed at least 14 worshipers during Sunday service.
The high representative stressed that all forms of violence and acts of terror targeting religious sites and worshipers, regardless of their faiths and beliefs, are unjustifiable.
He recalled the UN Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites, which was developed by UNAOC and launched by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sept. 12, 2019 and called on all governments, as well as all relevant stakeholders, to support the implementation of the plan so as to guarantee the sanctity of worship places and the safety of worshipers.
Moratinos reiterated that houses of worship, where worshipers observe their rituals in a spirit of compassion and peace, should not be sites for bloodshed and terror.
"The high representative expresses his readiness to support the efforts of the Government of Burkina Faso in fostering interfaith dialogue to build bridges of understanding between the diverse faith communities in Burkina Faso which had been subjected to increasing terrorist attacks on places of worship over the past few years," according to the statement.
The high representative expressed his condolences to the victims' families and the government and people of Burkina Faso.
In October this year, 15 worshipers were killed in a mosque attack in Burkina Faso.
