MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. The Council of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) has strongly condemned the "callous and cowardly" terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall that took place on March 22.

"We, the heads of the parliamentary delegations of the CSTO member states in the organization's Parliamentary Assembly, strongly condemn this act, the callous and cowardly terrorist attack that took place on March 22, 2024 in the Moscow Region and resulted in numerous casualties among civilians," the council's statement reads.

The Council expressed condolences on behalf of the parliaments and peoples of the member states of the organization to the families and relatives of the victims and wished a quick recovery to all the injured.

In addition, the CSTO PA Council reaffirmed readiness to jointly combat the spread of the terrorist ideology and terrorist organizations bringing in new members.

"We reaffirm our readiness to jointly combat the spread of terrorist and extremist ideology and hate rhetoric, as well as to counter recruitment to terrorist organizations," the council said in a statement.

The CSTO PA Council advocated "further consolidating CSTO member states and the entire world community in countering terrorism and extremism."

The statement also expressed strong support for the work of Russian government agencies and the public in ensuring national security and stability.

On the evening of March 22, a terrorist attack targeted the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, just over the Moscow city limits. The current death toll is 139, and 182 people were injured. Eleven individuals suspected of being involved in the terrorist attack have been apprehended, including four gunmen, who were detained in the Bryansk Region, southwest of Moscow, as they attempted to seek refuge by crossing the nearby Ukrainian border.