U.S. Committed To Strengthening Afghan Security

Washington, 30 August 2004 (RFE/RL) -- The United States says it is committed to help strengthening Afghanistan's security following a bombing of a U.S. firm there that killed at least nine people. Three of the victims were Americans.

U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said today the United States is shocked and saddened by the attack. But Boucher said Washington is committed to continue to work with Afghanistan in the training of security personnel to ensure a peaceful future for the country.

The bombing yesterday occurred outside a U.S. security contractor's office in Kabul. The company provides bodyguards for Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai and trains the police force.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and has vowed more deadly attacks in the run-up to Afghanistan's first presidential election scheduled for October.