The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, condemned Sunday’s terrorist attack in Sydney, Australia, which targeted a Jewish community and left at least 12 dead.

The attack took place on Sunday at Bondi Beach in Sydney, during a Hanukkah celebration, also leaving 29 people injured according to a preliminary report.

In a statement published on the AU’s official pages, the Chairperson of the Commission described this act as “heinous” and ”  an attack on humanity and the common values ​​of peace, tolerance and coexistence.

He offered his condolences to the families of the victims and expressed the solidarity of the pan-African organisation with the affected community during this time of deep mourning.

The head of the pan-African institution called for unity and cooperation between states and societies to prevent radicalisation, combat violent extremism and ensure accountability for the perpetrators of such acts.