U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force Condemn the Violence in Libya

Kabul, Afghanistan / Sep. 12, 2012

The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force together condemn the violence in Libya that led to the death of four Americans, including the U.S. Ambassador. We are deeply saddened by the loss of life.

As the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet. The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. Our commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind.” Throughout our efforts here, we have sought to promote mutual respect with our Afghan partners.

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu declared that “while the film was a deplorable act of incitement, resorting to violence resulting in loss of innocent lives could not be condoned.”

We ask for the assistance of Afghan leaders and the people of Afghanistan in maintaining calm and continuing our work to build a better, secure future. The safety of the Afghan people, Americans, and Afghan and Coalition forces continues to be our utmost priority.