Image
© Albin Hillert/WCC

© Albin Hillert/WCC

Photo:

In the wake of a large bomb attack that killed at least 80 people and injured 350 more in Kabul, Afghanistan, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit reached out with condolences and prayers to those who have lost loved ones due to senseless violence.

I condemn this attack as a cruel act against innocent people. We stand with you in shock, in prayer, in sadness, said Tveit, and we appeal for peace during a time when so many are hit by this type of violence.

According to media reports, a suicide bomb ripped through Kabul during Wednesday morning rush hour when the streets were packed with commuters, in the Wazir Akbar Khan district, a section of the city with embassies, banks, supermarkets and government buildings.

The blast came a few days into the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

This attack comes at a holy time for many, during a month that people observe with fasting, prayers, and good deeds, Tveit. The need for unity, the need for peace grows more urgent every day. We must walk toward justice and peace together.

Tveit called for prayers, continued faith, and conscious actions that lead to peace.

What if we counter every act of violence with correspondingly larger acts of unity and love? he asked.


Learn more about WCC's Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace