The United Nations Security Council yesterday strongly condemned a series of suicide attacks that hit two towns in Somalia a day earlier that reportedly killed at least 21 people and wounded many others, some critically.

In a presidential statement, the Security Council expressed condemnation "in the strongest terms" of the terrorist attacks in Hargeisa and Bosasso Wednesday, stressing the need to "bring the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice."

Reports from Somalia said at least 21 people have been killed in the wave of coordinated car-bombings, with most of the casualties in Hargeisa.

The presidential palace, the Ethiopian Embassy and UN offices were all targeted.

It was confirmed on Thursday that two UN staffers were killed and six others injured in the attacks.

A statement from the UN Humanitarian Resident Coordinator for Somalia, Mark Bowden, said the victims were Mohammed Geele, a local security advisor, and Sayid Hashi, a driver.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the families and colleagues of our two staff members who died in the explosion," Bowden said.

Somalia, which has not had a functioning government since 1991,has been wracked with violence in recent months, despite the signing of a UN-brokered peace deal between the Transitional Federal Government and the rebel Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia aimed at ending the fighting.