US vows to 'work closely' with Afghanistan after attack on Shiite cultural centre

Washington: The US on Friday condemned a "barbaric" attack on a Shiite cultural centre in Afghanistan that killed 41 people and vowed to "work closely" with the Afghan government to hunt down the terrorists.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the "enemies" of Afghanistan will not succeed in their attempts to destroy the country and divide the Afghan people, who are resilient and committed to establishing peace and stability.

"The US strongly condemns today's barbaric attack at a cultural and social centre in Kabul, Afghanistan, and offers its deepest condolences to the victims and their families," she said.

She said, "The US stands firmly with the government and people of Afghanistan and will work closely with the National Unity Government to bring the perpetrators of this heinous attack to justice.

The UN Security Council also condemned "the heinous and cowardly" terrorist attack and underlined the need to bring "perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice."

The United Nations Security Council urged all states to cooperate actively with the Afghanistan government and all other relevant authorities in this regard.

Expressing solidarity with the people and the government of Afghanistan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world body firmly believes that a peace process is the only path to ensure Afghanistan's stability.

An Islamic State suicide bomber struck a Shiite cultural centre in Kabul on Thursday, killing at least 41 people and underscoring the extremist group's growing reach in Afghanistan.