UN chief deplores shelling of Russian embassy in Damascus

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned the shelling on Thursday against the Russian Embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus, which killed one person and wounded nine others, UN News Center reported on Friday. Embassy personnel were among those wounded in the incident, which the UN Security Council condemned yesterday as a "heinous terrorist act." In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban extended his deep condolences to the family of the victim and to the Russian Government, and his sympathies to those injured. "The Secretary-General underlines the importance of holding the perpetrators accountable," the spokesperson said. "As the violence in Syria causes growing levels of suffering and destruction, the Secretary-General reiterates his appeal to all Syrian, regional and international actors to show vision and leadership and act in concert towards a political solution of the conflict," he said.