The U.S. Consulate in Herat was attacked by the Taliban on Friday morning, killing Afghan officials and injuring over a dozen civilians, BBC reported.
The seven militants, who attacked the consulate with bombs and gunfire, killed two Afghan police officers and one security guard. Staff members at the U.S. Consulate remain safe and uninjured. Seventeen civilians, including children, were wounded during the attack.
The blasts began around 5:30 a.m. after a truck drove through the consulate gates.
"The attackers -- possibly firing rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles -- commenced attacking Afghan protective forces on the exterior of the gates and contracted security guards," said State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf . "Shortly after, the entire truck exploded, extensively damaging the front gate."
It "appears some attackers were wearing suicide explosive devices," Harf added.
Taliban spokesman Zazibullah Mujahid told NBC the group was responsible for the attack. The amount of attacks carried out by the Taliban continue as the presence of international troops in Afghanistan plan to decline in 2014.
NATO released a statement on their Facebook page, written by U.S. Ambassador James Blair Cunningham, notifying the public of the attack and expressing condolences for the families of the victims.
"The United States Government condemns the terrorist attack against our Consulate in Herat. The Consulate staff performed superbly. We are grateful for the quick response of the Afghan and ISAF security forces who secured the facility and kept our personnel safe. We thank the governor of Herat and the government of Afghanistan for their support and ongoing partnership.
Many Afghan civilians were killed in the attack, along with others who work for the Consulate as contractors. We are deeply saddened by this senseless loss of life, and our prayers go out to the victims and their families. We hope for the speedy recovery of those injured. We are reminded again of the very real human toll exacted by terrorism. The perpetrators of this attack have shed Afghan blood on Afghan soil," the statement read.
According to reports, the blasts and gun fights left the surrounding roads seriously damaged.
Within the past few years, Herat -- which sits close to Afghanistan's border to Iran -- has been relatively peaceful and successfully avoided the insurgents. The U.S. Consulate in the country's third largest city opened up just four years ago.
