Phl Condemns Terror Attacks in Nigeria, Pakistan
17 August 2017 —The Philippines today condemned the suicide bombings carried out by suspected Islamic extremists in Nigeria and Pakistan that killed more than 50 people and wounded more than 100 others.
"The Philippines joins the international community in condemning the terrorist attacks in Nigeria and Pakistan that took many innocent lives," Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said in a statement.
"We stand in solidarity with the governments and peoples of Nigeria and Pakistan as they confront the same threat of violent extremism that we are now also faced with in Mindanao,"'Secretary Cayetano said.
According to the DFA, a female suicide bomber detonated herself at a busy market in the city of Maidoguri in northeast Nigeria on Tuesday, killing 27 and wounding several others. Two other suicide bombers attacked a nearby refugee camp wounding several more.
In Pakistan, a suicide bomber killed at least 15 people and wounded more than 40 others in an attack on a military convoy in the southwestern city of Quetta on Saturday. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the incident.
The Philippines issued its condemnation hours after Secretary Cayetano called on the more than ten million overseas Filipinos to heighten their vigilance in the wake of terrorist attacks abroad.
The Secretary issued the statement after a foiled terrorist attack in Russia and a deadly shooting incident in Burkina Faso.
“We want our kababayans wherever they are abroad to always remain vigilant and to always be prepared because these senseless acts of violence can happen anywhere and when we least expect them,” Secretary Cayetano said.
Ambassador to Moscow Carlos Sorreta reported that Russian intelligence was able to prevent Islamic militants from carrying out a series of terrorist attacks in the country. The terrorist plot reportedly included two suicide attacks.
The DFA said 18 people, including eight foreigners, were killed when Islamic militants opened fire at a restaurant frequented by foreigners in the capital, Ouagadougou on Sunday.
The DFA said it also monitored other small-scale attacks in other parts of the world, mostly in Africa and the Middle East, during the past few days.
Citing data from the Global Terrorism Database, the DFA said around 1,102 terror incidents took place worldwide from January to August 2017 while 1,204 terror attacks were perpetrated during the same period in 2016. A total of 1,820 terrorist incidents took place from January to December 2016.
Secretary Cayetano, at the same time, conveyed his sympathies to the families of the victims of the 13 August attack in Burkina Faso.
"We mourn with the families of those who lost their lives in this terrible incident in Burkina Faso," Secretary Cayetano said. END