LOC09:50
06:50 GMT
NEW YORK, April 21 (KUNA) -- The UN Security Council strongly condemned in a statement late Monday the "heinous" and "cowardly" apparent murder in Libya of over 30 Ethiopian Christians.
The Council stressed that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) must be defeated, and that the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out, said the statement.
The brutality of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is once again demonstrated by the thousands of crimes and abuses against people from all faiths, ethnicities and nationalities without regard to any basic value of humanity, it added.
The UNSC emphasized that such continued acts of barbarism perpetrated by the group do not intimidate the Council, but rather stiffen their resolve that there has to be a common effort amongst Governments and institutions, it said.
With deep sympathy, the members of the Security Council expressed their condolences to the families of the victims, to the Government of Ethiopia, as well as to the families of all victims of ISIL, it noted.
Once again, they reiterated their strong condemnation of the persecution of individuals and entire communities on the basis of their religion or belief, it made clear.
An immediate, safe and unconditional release of all those who are kept hostage by ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to it, Ansar Al-Sharia'a entities, and all other individuals, groups undertaking and entities associated with Al-Qaeda, it pointed out.
The members also reaffirmed their full support for Special Representative of the Secretary General Bernardino Leon and urged all parties in Libya to engage constructively with his efforts to continue an inclusive political process aimed at addressing the political and security challenges facing the country, it said.
A video released by ISIL holding two groups of captives at Fazzan and Barka provinces, where they beheaded them in reference to their religion. (end)
mao.hm