LAGOS, Nigeria, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The U.N. Security Council Saturday night decried bombings and street gun battles between Islamic and Christian factions that left at least 65 dead in Nigeria.
The 15-member Security Council, in a statement released at United Nations headquarters in New York, said the attacks were "heinous" crimes that were the work of terrorists.
"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group," the statement said.
The council said the organizers, financiers and sponsors of the attacks must be brought to justice, and urged all nations to cooperate with Nigeria in its efforts to apprehend them.
Local officials said a surprise attack on the northern city of Damaturu began about 6:30 p.m. Friday, targeting four police stations and several Christian churches, the BBC reported.
After the blasts, security forces chased attackers through the streets exchanging gunfire, the British network said.
The attack came a day after three suicide bombers attacked a military building in neighboring Borno state. The only fatalities reported were the bombers, the BBC said.
Federal officials said they suspected Thursday's attack to be the work of the extremist Islamic group Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is a sin," The Daily Telegraph reported.
Various intelligence agencies have said the group is rapidly developing stronger ties with al-Qaida, the British newspaper said.
