UNSC denounces beheading of Egyptian Christians by ISIL

The UN Security Council has strongly condemned the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians by ISIL Takfiri terrorists, describing it as a “heinous and cowardly apparent murder.”

In a statement issued on Monday, the UNSC denounced the savage crimes committed by ISIL terrorists against people from various backgrounds, saying that the Takfiri group lacks respect for any human values.

“This crime once again demonstrates the brutality of ISIL, which is responsible for thousands of crimes and abuses against people from all faiths, ethnicities and nationalities, and without regard to any basic value of humanity,” the UNSC statement said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (pictured above) also condemned the brutal killing of the Egyptian nationals, saying that targeting people for their religion is deplorable.

“The Secretary-General condemns, in the strongest terms, the killing of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya by Daesh. He deplores the targeting of people on account of their religious affiliation,” a statement by Ban’s office said, using the Arabic term for ISIL.

The ISIL released a five-minute video on Sunday, showing the beheading of the Christian hostages kidnapped in Libya.

The video showed the handcuffed hostages dressed in orange jumpsuits, similar to previous ISIL victims, kneeling down along the seaside near the Libyan capital city of Tripoli.

The ISIL had earlier published the photos of the 21 Egyptian workers, claiming that the pictures were taken moments before their decapitation. The workers were reportedly abducted in the Libyan coastal city of Sirte in two attacks in January and December last year.