KABUL - The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) strongly condemns today’s attack on Parliament in Kabul.

“The attack against Parliament, for which the Taliban have claimed responsibility, is a clear and deliberate affront to democracy in Afghanistan – An attack against the Afghan peoples’ democratically elected representatives," said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan.

UNAMA is also deeply concerned by reports of civilian casualties from the attack and re-iterates that international humanitarian law, which binds all parties to the conflict in Afghanistan, including the Taliban, prohibits attacks against civilians at any time and in any place. This includes civilian government workers.