U.N. condemns Yemeni violence

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UNITED NATIONS, May 22 (UPI) -- Members of the U.N. Security Council issued a strong condemnation of deadly al-Qaida attacks on a military parade in Yemen.

A suicide bomber struck a military parade in the capital, Sanaa, as the country prepared to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the unification of North and South Yemen. More than 110 soldiers were killed and as many as 300 more were injured in the attack Monday, one of the bloodiest in the country's modern history.

The U.N. Security Council, in a statement, condemned the attack in the strongest terms.

"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed," the statement read.

Yemeni authorities had said the attacks bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, the Yemeni arm of al-Qaida.

The Monday bombing followed a visit to the region by John Brennan, U.S. President Barack Obama's counter-terrorism adviser. The CIA allegedly is conducting airstrikes against AQAP targets inside Yemen using unmanned aerial vehicles.