In a statement, Ban’s spokesperson said the Secretary-General was “outraged to learn of a deadly attack on peacekeepers […]” and said he expects the Government of Sudan will take swift action to bring the perpetrators to justice.

In a news release, the joint African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said this morning one of its patrols was ambushed and came under heavy fire from a large unidentified group approximately 25 kilometres west of the Mission’s Khor Abeche team site.

Following an extended firefight, the patrol was extracted by UNAMID reinforcements that arrived from the Mission’s Khor Abeche and Manawashi sites.

Seven Tanzanian peacekeepers were killed and 17 military and police personnel, among them two female police advisers, were wounded.

Ban expressed his deepest sympathies to the families of the fallen peacekeepers, the Government of Tanzania and to all UNAMID personnel.

UNAMID Joint Special Representative Mohamed Ibn Chambas also condemned “in the strongest possible terms those responsible for this heinous attack on our peacekeepers,” and added that “the perpetrators should be on notice that they will be pursued for this crime and gross violation of international humanitarian law.”

One staff member from the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) was also injured, according to a statement issued by Ján Kubiš, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). All are now receiving medical attention.

Mr. Kubiš added that all UN staff members in the capital have been accounted for.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility, alleging that their target was a “military rest house,” he said in the statement.

“The situation is reported to be under the control of Afghan security forces. The mopping-up operation continues, with sporadic arms fire still being heard.”

Mr. Kubiš extended his sympathies to all those harmed in the attack and their families, and said he is in touch with the leadership of the IOM, a UN-affiliated organization.

He also recognized with gratitude the “quick actions” of UN security personnel, including Ghurkha guards provided by the firm IDG Security, and Afghan security forces.

“Initial information indicates that one police officer was killed in action. I express my condolences to his family and my sympathies to all IDG Security personnel, Afghan police and security forces injured while bravely responding to this terrorist attack,” he stated.

In a media statement, the Security Council expressed its condolences to the families of those killed in the 13 May attack and to the Government and people of Libya.

According to reports, the car bomb killed a number of people, including children, and injured others.

The 15-member Council urged authorities to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of “these reprehensible acts of terrorism” and urged the international community to cooperate with Libyan authorities.

In the statement, the Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that “any acts of terrorism are criminal unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.”

The Council reiterated the need to combat terrorism by all means, in accordance with the United Nations Charter and obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

Earlier, the UN Assistance Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) condemned the attack and reiterated its commitment to support the efforts of the Libyan Government and people to ensure the success of the democratic transition process, which has been under way since the toppling of Muammar al-Qadhafi two years ago.

The former leader ruled the North African country for more than 40 years until a pro-democracy uprising in 2011 – similar to the protests in other countries in the Middle East and North Africa – led to civil war and the end of his regime.

Egypt Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, the FJP, denounced the Marathon bombings on Tuesday and offered sincere condolences to victims’ families.

“ The FJP offers heartfelt sympathies and solemn condolences to the American people and the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured. Islamic Sharia (law), accepted by the FJP as a framework of reference, strongly condemns attacks on civilians and terrorizing innocent people, regardless of their religion, race, color or sex,” FJP said in a statement on its website.

“The heinous attacks in Boston today highlight the need for the international community to unite in order to achieve justice and a decent life for all peoples and communities to ensure non-recurrence of such violent and tragic crimes.”

The king of Saudi Arabia also condemned the Boston Marathon bombings, saying no religion or morals would condone such an attack, the Associated Press reported.

King Abdullah said the perpetrators of such “heinous terrorist acts” are “enemies of any humane considerations.” He said the perpetrators represent only themselves.

Saudi Ambassador Al-Jubeir in Washington expressed confidence that the relevant authorities will bring those responsible for this crime to justice.

Meanwhile, in Washington, a Saudi embassy official said Saudis have not been informed by the U.S. of any Saudi who is considered a person of interest in the Boston Marathon bombings. The official confirmed that a Saudi woman, who was watching the race with her husband and child, was injured.

US President Barack Obama said at a brief news conference on Tuesday that investigators had yet to find a culprit for the two bombings at Monday’s Boston that killed three people and injured 176.

The explosions took place about 10 seconds and about 90 meters apart, knocking spectators and at least one runner off their feet.

“Such attacks aim to heighten tensions in this particularly sensitive region, and I call on all people of Iraq to resist vicious attempts to undermine their thrive for peace and stability,” said the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Martin Kobler in a news release.

According to media reports, a suicide bomber killed at least 35 people and wounded more than 100 at a funeral near a Shiite mosque in northern Iraq on Wednesday. The attack reportedly wounded at least two senior Iraqi Government officials.

Mr. Kobler urged all Iraqi leaders to live up to their responsibilities, including “taking all necessary measures to work without delay on defusing such an alarming situation.”

He also expressed his profound sympathy to the families of the victims, to whom he extended his sincere condolences, and wished a speedy recovery for those who were injured.

Over the past month, Mr. Kobler has repeatedly called for an end to violence directly targeting civilians, after a wave of attacks in northern Iraq targeting individuals in crowded areas and the killing of a Member of Parliament who died in a terrorist attack during a demonstration in Fallujah last week.

On 23 August, armed fighters believed to be loyal to a renegade leader named David Yau Yau attacked South Sudanese troops stationed in the Nanaam area of Pibor County in Jonglei.

According to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), 24 soldiers were killed in the fighting while numerous others are still reported missing or injured.

“I strongly condemn this attack and reiterate UNMISS’ call on all communities, institutions and actors engaged in the Jonglei peace process and related security operations to stay the course in making further progress and in consolidating the gains made to date,” the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for South Sudan and head of UNMISS, Hilde F. Johnson, said in a news release.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, the UN peacekeeping mission provided support to the South Sudanese armed forces, assisting in the evacuation of the wounded and providing aerial transportation to local government officials travelling to visit communities in the area.

Jonglei state, South Sudan’s biggest, has seen recurrent bouts of violence since the country obtained independence last year.

Large-scale cattle raids between the Murle and Lou Nuer communities, for instance, have posed an ongoing threat to the area’s peace and security with violence causing numerous casualties, including many dead, wounded, abducted and displaced. It is estimated that clashes between the two groups have affected some 120,000 people in Jonglei since December 2011.

In its press release, UNMISS noted that the recent attack may have been deliberately planned to undermine progress made in improving the regional security environment, as well as in establishing inter-ethnic reconciliation.

The peacekeeping operation added that it would continue to work with the Government of South Sudan and other national and local authorities towards the achievement of “durable peace, security and stability in Jonglei.”

Staff from the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) observed over 50 houses that were burned and/or destroyed, according to a statement issued today that also noted that “pools of blood and brain matter were observed in a number of homes.”

The “consistent account” relayed by 27 local villagers who were interviewed by the UN team indicated that the attack began in the early hours of 12 July with the shelling of the village followed by ground operations.

“According to those interviewed, the army was conducting house to house searches asking for men and their ID cards. They alleged that after checking their identification, numerous were killed. Other men were taken out of the village.

“On the basis of some of the destruction observed in the town and the witness accounts, the attack appears targeted at army defectors and activists,” said the statement. UN observers also confirmed the use of direct and indirect weapons, including artillery, mortars and small arms.

The Mission added that the number of casualties is still unclear and that it is trying to seek further verification.

Thursday’s attack, which reportedly resulted in over 200 deaths, was condemned by UN officials as well as the Joint Special Envoy for the UN and the League of Arab States for Syria, Kofi Annan, who said the attack violated the Government’s commitment to the six-point peace plan.

That plan calls for an end to violence, access for humanitarian agencies to provide relief to those in need, the release of detainees, the start of inclusive political dialogue, and unrestricted access to the country for the international media.

Annan will visit Moscow on Monday for two days of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the crisis in Syria.

Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson met today with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Nabil Elaraby, on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa. They shared their strong concerns about the situation in Syria and expressed support for the work of Mr. Annan and the six-point plan.

The UN estimates that more than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Syria and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad began last year.

The attack on Tremseh “appeared targeted at specific groups and houses, mainly of army defectors and activists,” said a statement issued by the spokesperson for the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS).

“There were pools of blood and blood spatters in rooms of several homes together with bullet cases,” stated the Mission, which also observed a burned school and damaged houses with signs of internal burning in several of them.

“On the basis of this preliminary mission, UNSMIS can confirm that an attack, using a variety of weapons, took place.”

Thursday’s attack, which reportedly resulted in over 200 deaths, was condemned by UN officials as well as the Joint Special Envoy for the UN and the League of Arab States for Syria, Kofi Annan, who said the attack violated the Government’s commitment to the six-point peace plan.

That plan calls for an end to violence, access for humanitarian agencies to provide relief to those in need, the release of detainees, the start of inclusive political dialogue, and unrestricted access to the country for the international media.

The Mission added that the number of casualties is still unclear and that observers plan to go back into Tremseh, located 25 kilometres north-west of the city of Hama, on Sunday to continue their fact-finding visit.

“UNSMIS is deeply concerned about the escalating level of violence in Syria and calls on the Government to cease the use of heavy weapons on population centres and on the parties to put down their weapons and choose the path of non-violence for the welfare of the Syrian people who have suffered enough.”

The UN estimates that more than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Syria and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad began last year.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon discussed the situation in Syria and the need for the violence to stop at once in a telephone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi today. Mr. Ban called on China to use its influence to ensure the full and immediate implementation of the six-point plan and the communiqué resulting from last month’s meeting of the Action Group on Syria which forged an agreement outlining the steps for a peaceful transition in the country.

The supporters of the  Neo-Nazi party, who wore black clothes, attacked the Egyptians with batons and chains while 3 of the 4 Egyptians were seriously injured.

The 6th of April movement in Greece, has from its part, warned the Egyptian Arab community about the anti-immigrant party. In a press release issued by the movement they demanded that Egyptians ” avoid staying out alone late at night or talking on cell phones in Arabic aloud while walking at night and avoid areas like Omonia, Akharnon, Kallithea where many of the immigrants live and many of the attacks have by the racist party have taken place.”

Meanwhile, the President of the Muslim Association of Greece Naim El Ghandour condemned the “clearly racist”  attacks noting the recent escalation of racism and discrimination against all immigrants in Greece “which never existed before”.

Golden Dawn, the extreme-right party, who seeks to dpeort illegal immigrantss, managed to enter the parliament after the 6th of May elections in Greece. Even though, according to all the opinion polls before the elections this was anticipated, they managed to gain an surprisingly almost 7% (6.97%) of the vote, while in the previous elections in 2009 they had received only 0.29% of the vote.

Greece is the main entry point by land for illegal immigrants in Europe, where, via the Greece-Turkey border, nine out of ten illegal immigrants enter the European Union, according to the UN.

State-run SANA agency blamed “terrorist gangs” for the Saturday explosions and reported detonated vehicles packed with explosives had been used. Most of the casualties were civilians, state television said. The channel broadcast interviews with Syrians who held responsible for the explosions, the United States and Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who they said had sent terrorists.

The attacks come two days after the one-year anniversary of the start of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

It was not the first time bombers have struck in Damascus, the heart of Assad’s power base. There were three alleged suicide bombings in the capital between December and January, which the government blamed on al-Qaeda.

Ban Ki-moon extended his sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Syria and called for an immediate end to the violence while yesterday, the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of

Arab States for Syria, Kofi Annan, said he would send a team to the country to continue negotiations on proposals he has presented to the leadership as he tries to find a peaceful solution to the year-long bloody crisis.