La Liga giants, Real Madrid has expressed its sadness at the killing of not fewer than 14 of its fans in Iraq on Friday by members of the Islamist terror group ISIS.
A statement from the Spanish club said it is deeply saddened by the death of about 16 of its fans in a café in Iraq. In its statement released on Friday, the club also disclosed that many other fans were injured in the terror attack.
The statement read in part: “Real Madrid C. F. deeply regrets the terrible attack in Iraq which today saw 16 members of a Real Madrid supporters club lose their lives and which has also left over 20 injured.
“The club expresses its great sadness and offers its regards and condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
“Real Madrid extends all of its solidarity to the people of Iraq, who suffer the excessive injustices of extreme violence.”
The BBC reports that Islamic State militants attacked a café in Iraq which was frequented by supporters of the Spanish football club and killed at least 12 people.
“Three men opened fire with machine guns at the al-Furat Cafe in the mainly Shia town of Balad early on Friday. The assailants fled and hours later one blew himself up after being cornered by Shia militiamen, killing four of them,” BBC reports.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it targeted militiamen but did not mention any connection to Real.
REAL MADRID OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT | 13/05/2016
Real Madrid C. F. deeply regrets the terrible attack in Iraq which today saw 16 members of a Real Madrid supporters club lose their lives and which has also left over 20 injured.
The club expresses its great sadness and offers its regards and condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
Real Madrid extends all of its solidarity to the people of Iraq, who suffer the excessive injustices of extreme violence.
The Real Madrid players will tomorrow wear symbolic black armbands as a sign of their mourning and respect. Football and sport shall always be spaces in which to come together and in which harmony and peace reign and with which no form of barbaric terrorism will be able to compete.
Today Madridismo across the whole world cries for its supporters, who shall never be forgotten.