UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Thursday condemned "in the strongest terms" Wednesday's terrorist attack in Afghanistan that targeted an international charity for children, calling the attack as "heinous and cowardly."

Islamic State gunmen stormed the offices of Save the Children in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, killing at least five people and wounding dozens of others. Save the Children is an international non-governmental organization that promotes children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries.

In a press statement, the Security Council expressed deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Afghan government, and wished a speedy and full recovery to those injured.

The council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable, and urged all states to cooperate actively with the the Afghan government and all other relevant authorities in this regard.

The council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and stressed the need for all states to combat by all means threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attack on the same day, saying he was "appalled and deeply saddened."

"Humanitarian organizations provide life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable men, women and children in Afghanistan. Aid workers, and their premises and assets, should never be a target," Guterres said in a statement.