UN condemns Kabul varsity attack

Expressing concern over the attack on the American University of Afghanistan that killed 16 people, the UN Security Council has said nations must bring financiers and sponsors of the "reprehensible" acts of terrorism to justice. 

The 15-nation council "condemned in the strongest terms" Wednesday’s "heinous and cowardly" terrorist attack in Kabul, targeting students. 

In a statement, the council reaffirmed their "serious concern" at the threats posed by the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State and illegal and armed groups to the local population, national defence and security forces in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has said no “technical traces” of telephonic contact between the Kabul university attackers and people on its side of the border could be found and sought more evidence from the Afghan government. Afghanistan had blamed militants using Pakistan soil to launch the attack at the university.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had urged Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif to take action against the attackers’ accomplices, Dawn reported on Friday. 

But General Sharif told the Afghan leader that there were no “technical traces” to prove the telephonic conversation with militants in Pakistan with the attackers.