UN chief condemns racist attack in U.S. city

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, on Monday, condemned deadly 'vile act of racist violent extremism' at supermarket in U.S. city of Buffalo, New York, on Saturday.

According to reports, majority of the victims were African American.

Guterres appealed for greater commitment to harmony and diversity after 10 people were killed, and three wounded, in a racist attack at the supermarket.

The suspect, 18-year-old Payton Gendron, who is white, live-streamed the attack, which was carried out at a Tops supermarket in a predominantly black area of the city, located in the northeastern United States.

"The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms racism in all its forms and discrimination based on race, religion, belief or national origin.

"We must all work together towards building more peaceful and inclusive societies," Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, told newsmen at UN headquarters, New York.

The UN chief extended his deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and hoped that justice would be served swiftly.

The gunman was arrested following a stand-off with the police.

The incident marked the deadliest mass shooting in the United States this year.

It follows other recent racist massacres, including the June 2015 murder of nine African Americans at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, and the October 2018 attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in which 11 people were killed and six wounded.