UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday said that the organisation would never forget the staff members killed in the Aug. 19, 2003, attack on its headquarters in Iraq.

Guterres was speaking during a wreath-laying ceremony at a memorial in Baghdad to honour the victims of the Canal Hotel bombing – the worst terrorist attack in UN history.

Twenty-two people were killed, including the then UN Special Representative for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.

  More than 100 others were injured, and several survivors attended the ceremony.

Guterres told the audience that “22 years is a long time, but we will never forget the colleagues who were killed that day in the bombing at the Canal Hotel.

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These staff members “were sons, daughters, mothers, fathers and friends who are, to this day, mourned by those they knew and loved,” he said.

“We will always remember their leader, Sergio Vieira de Mello, who was also killed in the attack. We will stand with the survivors whose lives were changed forever,” he added.

“And we will remember the courageous colleagues and others who rushed to help on that terrible day, and in the days and weeks after — showing us the very best of the humanitarian spirit.”

Guterres said the memorial stands as a tribute to their lives and their contributions to the people of Iraq.  It also serves as a reminder of how far the country has come since 2003.

The UN chief noted that the women and men of the United Nations had worked tirelessly together with the brave and resilient people of Iraq to support their quest for stability, development and peace.

He stressed that above all, the memorial is “a clear reminder of the vital work that our organisation does around the world — and the dangers our people face in carrying out that work.”

This date “has been forever transformed from a day of unimaginable horror and tragedy here in Iraq into a global day of solemn remembrance for all humanitarians — inside and outside the organisation,” Guterres said.

“Their bravery, dedication, and belief that a better future is possible will always inspire us. And like those whose lives were lost on August 19, 2003, their sacrifices and contributions to our world — and to our vital cause of peace — will never be forgotten.”

The secretary-general was in Baghdad to attend the League of Arab States Summit. He also met with senior Iraqi officials, including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

During talks on Sunday, they discussed developments in Iraq and the region, as well as the remaining period of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

The secretary-general reaffirmed that the UN remained fully committed to continuing to support the Government and people of Iraq following the mission’s departure.

UNAMI has been in the country since 2003 and is working to conclude its mandate by the end of 2025. (NAN)

 The Palestinian city of Khan Younis was targeted by intensive airstrikes overnight, as Israel pursued its ramped-up offensive across the Gaza Strip.

According to Palestinian news agency WAFA on Monday, 17 people were killed in the coastal territory during the night.

WAFA did not initially provide details on the identity of the victims.

According to medics in Gaza, at least six people were killed and dozens injured in airstrikes on Khan Younis.

Witnesses told dpa that there were about 30 airstrikes on the area.

The internet connection failed in large parts of the city.

Palestinian media reports by WAFA and others said that a special unit of the Israeli army had killed a commander of the al-Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, which is allied with the Islamist movement Hamas.

The information could not initially be independently verified.

The Israeli military emphasised that it did all it can to avoid civilian casualties when attacking targets belonging to Hamas or other terrorist organizations.

This cannot be verified either as reporters has very limited access to the area.

The Israeli Air Force has been carrying out massive aerial attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip in recent days, and Israel announced an “extensive’’ new ground operation across the territory on Sunday.

Dozens of Palestinian deaths are being reported daily from the Gaza Strip. (dpa/NAN)

The Taraba House of Assembly has said that it’s approval for the Executive to secure a N350 billion bond from the Capital Market was in line with provisions of the 2025 appropriation law.Mr Jetro Yakubu, Majority Leader of the assembly, made the clarification on Friday while speaking to newsmen in Jalingo.

Yakubu revealed that the request to secure the loan was in tandem with the provisions of the 2025 appropriation bill passed into Law by the assembly. He stressed that Gov. Agbu Kefas of Taraba had already indicated in the budget proposals his intention to fund part of it through loans from financial institutions.According to him, the request could only become abnormal if it is outside the budgetary provision. Yakubu, who represents Wukari I State Constituency also noted that the assembly approved the loan because the governor had carried the it along right from the preparation of the Appropriation. “The governor is a leader that believes in carrying everybody along. He had already carried the assembly along right from when the appropriation was being prepared.“We don’t give approval for any loan that is not in the appropriation.“The governor is a very strategic thinker. The bond which is at N20 lbillion per year would be funded through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and not through Federal Accounts Allocation.“The governor is very passionate about stimulating the economy of the state so that the it can be viable to fund the bond,” he said.Daily Asset recalls that Kefas earlier requested an approval from the house of assembly to secure a N350 billion bond from the Capital Market.The legislators had since granted him the approval to borrow the funds. (NAN)