UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his envoy to Iraq on Wednesday strongly condemned the attack against holy shrines in Samarra, where a blast last February triggered a wave of deadly sectarian violence across the country.

“The Secretary-General was deeply shocked to learn of today’s destructive attack on the holy Shrines of Imam Ali Al-Hadi and Imam Hassan Al-Askary in Samarra,” said his spokesperson Michele Montas in a statement .

Mr Ban “strongly condemns this act, which was clearly aimed at provoking sectarian strife and undermining the peace and stability of Iraq,” she said. The statement called on all Iraqis “to avoid succumbing to the vicious cycle of revenge and to exercise maximum restraint while demonstrating unity and resolve in the face of this terrible attack.” Mr Ban also welcomed efforts by Iraqi political and religious leaders to calm the situation and to promote respect for human rights and the protection of religious sites.