UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan vehemently condemned the latest mosque bombing in Iraq, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Friday.

In a statement released by the spokesman, Annan said the attack, together with Thursday's bombing near the holy Shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf, clearly demonstrated that there are forces in Iraq determined to inflame sectarian violence and to exploit the current difficulties in forming the new government.

"This underscores the urgent need for political leaders to resolve their differences in the best interests of the nation," Dujarric added.

At least 50 people have been killed and 138 others wounded in suicide bombings of the Buratha mosque in the Al Adhamiya area of Baghdad on Friday.

Source: Xinhua