“An emerging pattern of deliberate targeted attacks by the Taliban against civilian staff in the Attorney General's Office and legal professionals is reprehensible and must stop," said the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto.

"Attacks deliberately targeting civilians are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes,” he added, expressing condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, said a statement released from UNAMA on Monday.

From 1 January to 10 May 2015, the Taliban claimed responsibility on their website for 11 separate attacks against legal professionals and court houses which caused 114 civilian casualties (28 killed and 86 injured), an increase of more than 600 per cent from the same period last year.

UNAMA documented an additional six incidents of abductions, threats, intimidation and harassment of judicial authorities so far this year.

"These attacks call into question the Taliban's public statements to protect civilians," said Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA's Human Rights Director.