George Vella condemns heinous terrorist attacks, pledges support

Foreign affairs minister George Vella has condemned two horrific terrorist attacks which claimed the lives of over 60 people.

In a series of tweets, the minister condemned the twin bombing attack outside a football stadium in Istanbul on Saturday and a bomb blast at Egypt’s main Coptic Christian cathedral on Sunday.

Condemn without reservations the heineous attack on the Coptic church in Cairo. Full support to the Egyptian authorities.

— George W. Vella (@MFAMalta) December 11, 2016

“Condemn without reservations the heinous attack on the Coptic church in Cairo [sic],” the minister said.

Expressing the government’s sympathy to those injured and the families and friends of the deceased, the minister pledged the government’s full support to the Egyptian and Turkish authorities.

On Saturday, two explosions in less than a minute killed 38 people, mostly police officers, and injured more than 160 others outside a football stadium in Istanbul, in a co-ordinated attack on police shortly after a match between Turkey’s top two teams.

When it comes to terrorism the Turkish authorities have our full unqualified support and sympathy.

— George W. Vella (@MFAMalta) December 11, 2016

First a car bomb exploded outside the Vodafone Arena, home to Istanbul's Besiktas soccer team, leaving flaming wreckage on the street. Forty-five seconds later, a suspect wearing explosives detonated them while surrounded by police in an adjacent park, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told a news conference.

The Turkey government has since blamed the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, at least 25 people were killed and 35 more injured after a bomb went off near Egypt’s main Coptic Christian cathedral.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Sunday’s attack.