KATHMANDU, March 15: Nepal has condemned deadly attack on two mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand killing dozens of people, on Friday.

In a press statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said "We are shocked by the news of shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand killing dozens of people today."

The statement said that the Nepal government strongly condemns this senseless act of terrorism.

"The GoN extends deep condolences to the Government and the people of New Zealand as well as the families of the victims, and wishes for speedy recovery of those injured," the statement added.

Mass shootings at two mosques full of worshippers attending Friday prayers killed 49 people on what New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called “one of New Zealand’s darkest days,” as authorities charged one person, detained three others and defused explosive devices in what appeared to be a carefully planned racist attack.

Prime Minister Ardern said the events in Christchurch represented “an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence” and acknowledged many of those affected may be migrants and refugees. In addition to the dead, she said more than 20 people were seriously wounded.

“It is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist attack,” Ardern said.

Police took three men and a woman into custody after the shootings, which shocked people across the nation of 5 million people. While there was no reason to believe there were more suspects, Ardern said the national security threat level was being raised to the second-highest level.

The deadliest attack occurred at the Masjid Al Noor mosque in central Christchurch at about 1:45 p.m. Arden said 30 people were killed there.

Mass shootings in New Zealand are exceedingly rare. The deadliest in modern history occurred in the small town of Aramoana in 1990, when gunman David Gray shot and killed 13 people following a dispute with a neighbor.

 
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