On behalf of the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA) and the world muaythai community, we would like to express our grief for the violent attacks that rocked the city of Paris, leaving at least 129 dead and over 350 injured. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, the friends and families of those that lost their lives as well as those affected by this vicious and callous act of terror.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected by these horrific events and also with our global leaders as they navigate the aftermath of these tragedies. Undoubtedly, they will be faced with difficult decisions in the days to come and we pray for wisdom and that they may find a way to reciprocate in the spirit of justice and peace rather than revenge.
In this time of unfathomable loss and tragedy in the world, we also remember and mourn together with the families and friends of victims of the suicide bombings which claimed the lives of at least 41 in Beirut and the recent bombings which left at least 43 dead in Baghdad just one day before the terror attacks in Paris and another killing at least 21 on Friday. We mourn the 224 lives lost in the crash of Kogalymavia Flight 9268, 25 of which were children. Our hearts and thoughts are with the children left orphaned and the friends and families left in grief. In the most recent tragedies, we also grieve for the innocent lives lost in the 2 bomb attacks in Nigeria, and pray for the souls of the child suicide bombers. It is overwhelmingly sad to be faced with such stark examples of how evil knows no boundaries, consuming the innocence of youth.We must continue to recognise, acknowledge and renounce the on-going civil war in Syria that has killed 250,000 people since 2011.
The world muaythai community and IFMA join together in solemnity and solidarity to pray for our world, our brothers and sisters and our future.