Afghanistan Peace Campaign
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on Friday by paying tribute to nearly 3,000 victims and urging the international community to remain united in combating terrorism through cooperation and international law.
In a statement commemorating the attacks, Guterres said the world remembers the victims from the United States and more than 90 other countries who lost their lives in the coordinated attacks on September 11, 2001. He said the United Nations stands in solidarity with their families, survivors, and all those whose lives were permanently changed by the tragedy.
The UN chief also honored the first responders, firefighters, police officers, medical personnel, and volunteers who risked their lives during rescue operations at New York’s World Trade Center after the attacks destroyed the Twin Towers.
“We stand with the people of New York, the people of the United States, and everyone whose lives were forever affected by the events of September 11,” Guterres said, describing the anniversary as a moment of remembrance and renewed commitment to peace and security.
Guterres noted that 2026 also marks the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopted unanimously by UN member states in 2006 as the first global framework for preventing and combating terrorism while protecting human rights and the rule of law.
He said the strategy remains a cornerstone of international cooperation against terrorism, emphasizing that counterterrorism efforts must address the conditions that fuel violent extremism while safeguarding fundamental freedoms.
The secretary-general warned that terrorism continues to threaten civilians across multiple regions, despite significant progress in dismantling terrorist networks over the past two decades. He said the evolving nature of terrorism, including cross-border extremist groups and online radicalization, requires sustained international cooperation.
Guterres stressed that defeating terrorism is a “shared and unfinished responsibility” that demands continued collaboration among governments, international organizations, and civil society to prevent attacks and support victims.
The September 11, 2001, attacks, carried out by al-Qaeda, killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. The attacks reshaped global security policy and led to two decades of U.S.-led military operations in Afghanistan, where al-Qaeda had been based under Taliban rule.
Twenty-five years later, the UN says honoring the victims also means strengthening international efforts to prevent terrorism while upholding international law, human rights, and accountability.