Moscow condemns bombings in Baghdad - Foreign Ministry
MOSCOW. March 19 (Interfax) - Moscow condemns bombings in Baghdad and its suburbs killing dozens of people and injuring more than 100 others on Tuesday.
"Moscow strongly condemns the terrorist attacks. Such terrorist crimes do not have and cannot have any justification. We express our condolences to relatives and beloved ones of those killed and wish the soonest possible recovery to the injured," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombings coinciding with the 10th anniversary of sending international coalition forces led by the United States to Iraq in 2003. "However, it is clear that this sortie is the work of extremist forces choosing to fuel an inter-religious and interethnic discord and to unwind a spiral of violence on Iraqi land," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"We reaffirm the Russian Federation's principled course toward supporting the Iraqi government's and people's efforts to establish order in the country and offer a strong rebuff to terrorist elements. We will continue to defend the principles of the Republic of Iraq's unity and territorial integrity in favor of resolving all problems facing the Iraqis within the constitutional framework and based on a nationwide dialogue," it said.