The European Union, the United Nations and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan have strongly condemned Tuesday's deadly suicide car bomb attack near the Afghan Supreme Court in Kabul.
At least sixteen people were killed and more than forty others injured in the explosion triggered by a suicide-bomber who rammed his explosive-laden car into buses carrying court staff, including judges. Most of the casualties were either civilians or court staff.
The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, stressing that it targeted judges who "obey Western powers." It also denounced the "cruel" Afghan judicial system which imposes harsh sentences on detained insurgents.
In a statement issued by her office late on Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton denounced the suicide car bombing as "an attack on all Afghans who believe in justice and the rule of law."
"It is further evidence of the insurgents' disregard for Afghan lives and their callous targeting of civilians. The High Representative sends her condolences to the families of all those killed and injured in the attack," the statement added.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also condemned the deadly attack, with its chief Jan Kubis stating that the "deplorable terrorist attack in an area densely populated with Afghan civil servants was clearly intended to kill and harm as many civilians as possible."
Separately, ISAF Commander Gen. Joseph F. Dunford stressed that the attack demonstrated Taliban's
complete lack of respect for human life," and added: "The targeting of hard working Afghans on their way home from work is reprehensible."
Notably, Afghan security forces have been taking the lead in fighting insurgents in recent months, as the nations involved in the NATO-led ISAF mission intend to withdraw their troops from the country by the end of 2014.
ISAF is currently making efforts to get the Afghan security forces ready and capable of handling the country's security prior to the planned withdrawal. However, there are wide concerns about the ability of Afghan national forces to counter the resurgent Taliban without the same level of foreign military assistance and presence.
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