UNITED NATIONS, July 24 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday strongly condemned a Taliban-related bomb attack in Afghan capital of Kabul.
"The deliberate targeting of civilians constitutes a grave violation of human rights and international humanitarian law and may constitute a war crime," said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq at a briefing.
"The secretary-general expresses his deepest sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured. He reaffirms the solidarity of the United Nations with the people and Government of Afghanistan," Farhan Haq said.
Earlier on Monday, a car bomb struck a minibus carrying government employees in western Kabul, killing 24 civilians and injuring 42 others. Three vehicles and 15 shops were severely damaged in the explosion.
The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since late April when the militant group launched its annual offensive in different places in Afghanistan.
UN statistics show that more than 1,660 civilians were killed and over 3,580 others injured in conflict-related incidents across the country in the first half of this year.
