PRETORIA, December 31. /ITAR-TASS/. South African government has strongly condemned the acts of suicide bombing in the southern Russian city of Volgograd, which took away the lives of 33 people Sunday and Monday.

A note issued by the country’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation says: “South Africa stands firmly with the international community in condemning all forms and manner of terrorism,” including the terrorist attacks in Russia. “We believe that terrorism in any form and from whichever quarter cannot be condoned.”

“The South African government sends it deepest condolences to the government and the people of the Russian Federation, particularly the families of the deceased, and wishes the injured speedy recoveries,” the department says.

It also recalls that “South Africa and Russia maintain strong relations at the bilateral and multilateral levels, and cooperation between the two countries is growing.”

Sunday, December 29, a female suicide bomber set off an explosive device at the entrance to waiting lounge of Volgograd’s central railway when it was crowded with people awaiting delayed trains. The explosion killed 17 people and left more about 50 others wounded, some of them critically.

Monday, December 30, a male suicide bomber blew up a trolleybus full of young people going to educational institutions. The act took away 16 lives and inflicted injuries on about 30 people.