Vice President Hamid Ansari condemns attack on Indian consulate in Afghanistan

NEW DELHI: Condemning the attack on Indian consulate in Afghanistan, Vice President Hamid Ansari today said such acts of violence will not weaken New Delhi's resolve to assist Kabul in building a strong and stable country.

"Such acts of violence aimed at undermining the friendship between India and Afghanistan will not weaken our resolve to assist the friendly people and Government of Afghanistan in building a strong, stable and democratic Afghanistan," he said.

Expressing a sense of relief that all Indian citizens are safe in the aftermath of the attack in Herat city, Ansari said the attack "is to be condemned in strongest possible terms."

In the pre-dawn assault, the gunmen armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades opened fire on the Consulate which houses two buildings in the western Afghan city, bordering Iran.

There were nine Indians in the mission apart from local Afghans at the time of attack.

All the four attackers have been neutralised.