The horrendous acts of violence which cost the lives of so many people in Baghdad last night are insupportable. Once more, the terrorists of the so-called IS have demonstrated that they will not hesitate to murder innocent men, women and children in the name of their hate-driven ideology.

Our sympathy goes out to the people of Iraq who even during the holy month of Ramadan are being subjected to unbounded and senseless terrorism. We grieve with the victims’ families.

The fact that the terrorists are increasingly targeting unarmed civilians is indicative of the growing futility of their situation. For with the support of the international community, the Iraqi Government has managed during the last few weeks and months to gradually drive the terrorists out of more and more regions in Iraq.

What is important now is that all sides help foster reconciliation and understanding among religious and ethnic communities even in those areas where the so-called IS is doing everything in its power to spread hate and stoke sectarian tensions.

Moreover, we must remain steadfast in our efforts to resolutely tackle terrorism and to stabilise the areas liberated from the IS and make them habitable again as quickly as possible. Germany is playing its part, among other things with stabilisation measures in Fallujah, Tikrit and other places in Iraq.