Afghan President Hamid Karzai said the Taliban would not derail the transition of his country from the NATO-led coalition to Afghan control, following a string of suicide bomb and gun attacks in central Kabul.
Six people were killed and another 16 injured in the multi-pronged attack on Tuesday targeting the U.S. embassy, NATO headquarters and the Afghan intelligence agency, police said.
A Taliban spokesman said the group was behind the violence, which comes two days after the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States.
The terrorists have attacked three locations in Kabul's Abdul Haq Roundabout, the Deh Mazang and Dar-ul-Aman roads, in an assault that began about 1:30 p.m. local time.
Addressing the nation on Tuesday, President Karzai condemned the attacks and said the terrorists would not succeed in delaying the transition of control from the NATO-led International Security and Assistance Force.
"The attacks can not stop the [transition] from taking place and cannot affect, but rather embolden our people's determination in taking the responsibility for their country's own affairs," Karzai said.
He also said his government would have "no contact" with the Taliban.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen also said the Taliban would not hamper the transition efforts.
"We are witnessing that the Taliban try to test transition but they can't stop it. Transition is on track and it will continue," Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels.
"Afghan forces are already in the lead in several provinces and districts home to one quarter of the Afghan population," the NATO chief said. "I expect the next stage of transition to be announced soon.
"Afghan security forces are growing both in numbers and quality and I am confident they will take the lead for security throughout the country by the end of 2014 as we all agreed."
