Ministry of Foreign Affairs Condemns Istanbul and Cairo Bombings

Lebanon's Foreign Affairs Ministry strongly condemned in a statement on Monday, the terrorist bombings which targeted the Turkish city of Istanbul on Saturday evening leaving several killed and wounded.

“The ministry offers its condolences to the Turkish leadership, people and to the families of the victims who died in the convicted crime that targeted the institutional legitimacy in Turkey,” said the statement.

“The war against terrorism is the common cause of the entire civilized world, and it is not overridden by any other priority in today's world. It requires united efforts in order to defeat expeditious obscurantism,” the statement added.

Twin attacks ripped through Istanbul late on Saturday killing 38 people, mostly police.

The bloodshed saw a car bomb exploding outside the home stadium of football giants Besiktas and less than a minute later, a suicide attacker blew himself up by a group of police at a nearby park.

Most of the dead were police officers, who accounted for 30 of the victims. Seven civilians also died, along with one person whose identity was unclear, officials said. Around 150 people were wounded in the blasts.

The Ministry also condemned the Cairo bombing that targeted a church near Cairo's Coptic cathedral during a service Sunday, killing 23 people and wounding 49.

“The Ministry offers its condolences to the leadership of the Egyptian Republic, people and families of the innocent victims. It affirms that Lebanon stands today shoulder to shoulder with Egypt, and stresses the necessity to unify international and regional efforts to support national armies in their battles against terrorism,” said the statement.