UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly on Wednesday condemned the deadly attack on a UN guest house in central Kabul, Afghanistan, which killed five UN staff and injured some others.

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at the monthly news conference at the UN headquarters in New York, the U.S., Oct. 28, 2009. Ban Ki-moon strongly on Wednesday condemned the deadly attack on a UN guest house in central Kabul, Afghanistan, which killed six UN staff and injured some others. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Photo Gallery>>>

    "I am deeply shocked and outraged by the cowardly attack," Ban said in a statement.

    "I condemn in the strongest possible terms the despicable and brutal killing, for which the Taliban has claimed responsibility in an apparent effort to disrupt the second round of the presidential election," he said.

    Ban expressed his "deepest condolences" to the families and friends of the victims "who were viciously killed as they sought to serve the people of Afghanistan."

    "This indeed is a loss to all members of the UN family working together to support Afghanistan at this critical juncture," the secretary-general said.

    But the world organization "remains committed to continue its work in the country as the Afghan people strive for a better future," Ban added.