Ban: Bombings in Iraq despicable particularly at Eid

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned in the strongest terms the "despicable" string of bombings that have killed and wounded scores of people, including schoolchildren, across Iraq over the past days, his press office said in a statement. Extending his deepest condolences to the victims' families and to the Iraqi Government, Ban said these attacks, the latest upsurge of bombings, are "particularly despicable" as they hit Iraqis at a time when they extend their hands to the needy and the suffering on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha. He reiterated on this holiday his call on Iraqi leaders to work for "political unity and to bring the country back from the brink of sectarian violence," vowing that the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), will continue to support the Iraqi Government and people in building a peaceful, democratic and prosperous country. UN Special Envoy for Iraq Nickolay Mladenov on Monday marked the Eid celebrations saying in a statement from Baghdad "On this Eid and at this crucial time, I would like to plead for unity and understanding among all the Iraqis and their political, religious, and civil leaders. It is only through working together that the people of Iraq can stand up to the violence that is tearing society apart". "I hope that as people extend their hands to the poor and those suffering, they will remember that only through sharing, tolerance and justice can peace and prosperity be achieved. Eid Mubarak!" he added. According to UNAMI, there has been a sharp rise in civilian casualties in Iraq this year, with at least 5,740 civilians killed in the first nine months. This is more than double the number of civilian casualties in 2011 and much higher than the 3,238 civilians killed in the whole of 2012