UNSC Marks 9/11 Anniversary as US Recalls Hunt for Osama bin Laden

The United Nations Security Council marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks by reaffirming its condemnation of terrorism, while the United States recalled its pursuit of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The discussion came as the 15-member council adopted its first presidential statement on counter-terrorism in five years.

During a Security Council briefing on terrorist threats to international peace and security, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz highlighted the actions taken against major militant groups and their leaders. He said the international coalition had dismantled the ISIS caliphate and killed senior figures including Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Ayman al-Zawahiri, while recalling the operation that killed bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011.

Waltz also pointed to the continuing impact of terrorism on countries represented at the council. He noted that September 11 was not the only major terrorist attack remembered by many nations and referred to incidents including the 2005 London bombings and the 2014 Peshawar school massacre in Pakistan, in which around 130 children were killed.

The presidential statement strongly condemned the September 11 attacks in New York, Arlington, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It stressed that terrorism is criminal and unjustifiable in all forms, regardless of its motivation or where, when or by whom it is committed.

The council also reiterated that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or group. It called for stronger international efforts against terrorism and stressed that financing, planning, preparation and other forms of support for terrorist acts violate the principles of the UN Charter.

The statement also expressed concern about the continued presence of terrorist organisations linked to ISIL, Al-Qaeda and their affiliates in different parts of the world.

Pakistan’s UN envoy Asim Iftikhar Ahmad used the meeting to highlight his country’s losses in the fight against terrorism. He said more than 4,700 Pakistanis had been killed by terrorism allegedly emanating from Afghanistan over the previous three years. He also referred to attacks attributed to groups including the TTP and BLA.

The anniversary meeting highlighted how the September 11 attacks continue to influence international security discussions, while member states stressed the need for sustained global cooperation against terrorism.