Ontario, Oct.9 (ANI): Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon has strongly condemned Thursday's attempted bomb attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, that claimed 17 lives and injured more than 60.

"Canada strongly condemns the violent attack that occurred today near the Embassy of India in Kabul and claimed the lives of several Afghan civilians and injured many others. On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to express our deepest sympathies to those who were injured and offer our sincere condolences to the friends and families of those who were killed in today's attack," Cannon said in a statement.

"This attack once again demonstrates that the insurgents in Afghanistan have no regard for the lives of Afghans and are determined to keep Afghanistan from emerging as a safe, secure and peaceful society. Canada is in Afghanistan at the request of the democratically elected Afghan government, and as part of a UN-mandated, NATO-led mission. Canada's continuing objective is to help Afghans build a stable and secure country based on the fundamental values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law," he added. (ANI)