The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday condemned last week’s terrorist attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat district, calling for the perpetrators and sponsors of the attack to be held accountable.

At least 23 people were killed in the September 18’s deadly two-pronged assault, including 17 policemen and six civilians.

After detonating an explosives-laden vehicle near a mosque in old Police Lines during Friday prayers, terrorists stormed the compound and attacked police facilities. KP police said eight terrorists were killed in retaliatory action by police and security forces.

A UNSC statement issued by Council President Jérôme Bonnafont, representing France, strongly condemned the “heinous and cowardly” suicide bombing at a mosque.

UNSC member states expressed sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the government, and wished the injured a swift recovery.

Member states stressed that “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security”.

According to the statement, UNSC members underscored the need to hold the “perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors” accountable and urged all states to cooperate with Pakistan in the matter.

The UNSC held that any act of terrorism was “criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of [its] motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed”.

The Security Council “reaffirmed the need for all states to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts”.

The attack was claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur-led Ittehadul Mujahideen.

On Saturday, KP police said that a clearance operation launched after the attack had concluded. Police said that Elite Force commandos, Counterterrorism Department (CTD) teams, and security forces had cleared key parts of the buildings.

CM Afridi had sought a detailed report on the incident on Friday, saying the targeting of innocent citizens was “deeply regrettable and unacceptable”.

In 2010, 20 people, mostly relatives of policemen, were killed and more than 90 injured in a remote-controlled bomb blast inside a police colony located just behind the Kohat Police Lines. The explosion had taken place in Ramazan during Iftar.

On Monday, in retaliation for recent terrorist attacks in KP, including the Kohat bombing, the armed forces conducted airstrikes on terrorist sites “in the border region with Afghanistan”, killing more than 28 terrorists, the information ministry said.

A day earlier, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in a visit to Peshawar Corps headquarters, said the armed forces remained resolute in defeating terrorism and ensuring lasting peace and stability, according to the military’s media wing.