The US has strongly condemned the "brazen" and "callous" Taliban attack in Afghanistan's capital Kabul that killed six people and wounded dozens including several children.
The Taliban set off a powerful bomb in down-town Kabul on Monday, killing at least six people.
The White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said on Monday that the brazen attack demonstrates the "Taliban's callous disregard for their fellow Afghans, who have repeatedly voiced the urgency of finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict."
"The United States condemns in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attack, claimed by the Taliban, in which Afghan civilians and security personnel were killed and severely wounded," she said.
"The attack involved a vehicle bombing and gun assault on an Afghan defense facility, also damaging nearby civic and cultural centres and a primary school, injuring dozens of young children," she added.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offered sympathies and condolences to the bereaved families.
"We commend the Afghan security forces for their swift response to prevent further loss of life," Pompeo said in a statement issued late Monday night.
"We call on the Taliban to stop attacking civilians. Afghans yearn for peace and deserve an end to these senseless acts of violence. Today's indiscriminate assault, which caused injuries to children at school, was particularly barbarous," Pompeo said.
The attack serves as a stark reminder of what is at stake in the peace process and why the US remains committed to helping those Afghans who seek a peaceful future for their country, he said.
