15 January 2008 - The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest possible terms the attack against the Serena Hotel in Kabul yesterday, which killed at least eight people and injured a number of others, both Afghans and internationals.

Among the victims were Afghan security guards and hotel staff, whose bravery prevented the death toll from being much higher, as well as members of the international community who were assisting development efforts in Afghanistan.

The Secretary-General offers his deepest condolences to the families of those killed and his best wishes for a swift recovery to those injured. He stresses that the attack will not diminish the commitment of the international community to Afghanistan, and that efforts must be redoubled to bring stability to the country and to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice.