The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Tuesday night condemned  in the strongest terms the attack in Jalalabad that killed at least 13 civilians and injured at least 20, and expresses its outrage at the recent pattern of attacks targeting civilians and civilian objects.

According to a statement, UNAMA said the province’s Refugee Department was deliberately targeted by a group of men including suicide bombers. Much of the building was badly damaged in an operation lasting several hours.

“Jalalabad and the surrounding region has in recent months seen a significant number of attacks targeting civilian objects, including schools and hospitals. Earlier this week, Jalalabad witnessed a separate similar suicide attack against a midwifery education centre.

“These attacks deliberately targeting civilians are abhorrent,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan. 

“The killings amount to atrocities, and everything must be done to bring the planners to account.”

The United Nations stresses that all parties to the conflict must at all times uphold their obligations to protect civilians and reiterates its call to immediately cease targeting civilians and civilian objects, including schools and health facilities, in compliance with international humanitarian law.

The statement was issued after insurgents carried out an attack that lasted over six hours on Tuesday.