The United Nations Security Council has condemned a suspected rocket blast that sent Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon ducking for cover during a surprise visit to Iraq's capital.
South Africa's U.N. envoy, Dumisani Kumalo, who is this month's Security Council president, read a statement calling Thursday's blast an "abhorrent terrorist attack."
Kumalo said the 15-member Council has expressed its unwavering support for the efforts of the United Nations and Mr. Ban to promote an effective political process in Iraq.
The blast occurred as the U.N. chief and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki were holding a news conference near Mr. Maliki's office in Baghdad's Green Zone.
No one was hurt, and the press conference continued.
A U.N. spokeswoman, Marie Okabe says the U.N. mission in Iraq is investigating the incident.
Moments before the blast, Mr. Ban said he would reconsider expanding the U.N. presence in Iraq once the security situation has visibly improved.
In other news, the U.S. military says coalition forces in Basra and Hillah have captured members of the Khazali network that it says was directly connected to the killing of five American troops in Karbala in January.
The U.S. military also says three American troops were killed Wednesday in combat operations in Baghdad and al-Anbar province.
Separately, an Iraqi official says the government has been in talks with various insurgent groups over the past several months in an effort to stabilize the security situation.
South Africa's U.N. envoy, Dumisani Kumalo, who is this month's Security Council president, read a statement calling Thursday's blast an "abhorrent terrorist attack."
Kumalo said the 15-member Council has expressed its unwavering support for the efforts of the United Nations and Mr. Ban to promote an effective political process in Iraq.
The blast occurred as the U.N. chief and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki were holding a news conference near Mr. Maliki's office in Baghdad's Green Zone.
No one was hurt, and the press conference continued.
A U.N. spokeswoman, Marie Okabe says the U.N. mission in Iraq is investigating the incident.
Moments before the blast, Mr. Ban said he would reconsider expanding the U.N. presence in Iraq once the security situation has visibly improved.
In other news, the U.S. military says coalition forces in Basra and Hillah have captured members of the Khazali network that it says was directly connected to the killing of five American troops in Karbala in January.
The U.S. military also says three American troops were killed Wednesday in combat operations in Baghdad and al-Anbar province.
Separately, an Iraqi official says the government has been in talks with various insurgent groups over the past several months in an effort to stabilize the security situation.