Afghan Vice President Nematullah Shahrani on Friday paid his condolence to 11 murdered Chinese workers at the Chinese embassy.

"On behalf of Afghan president, Afghan government and the Afghan people I express my condolences to the government and people of China and share your grief in the tragedy," he told Chinese ambassador Sun Yuxi.

"I am confident that the terrorists behind the incident will be brought to justice," Shahrani wrote in the condolence notebook, blaming the attackers as enemies of Afghanistan who want to derail the ongoing reconstruction process in the country.

Chinese ambassador Sun Yuxi thanked the arrangement made by the Afghan government in transferring the remains of the victims and the injured to Kabul, urging for the early punishment of the terrorists.

"We want the government bring criminals to justice," Sun said.

Sun said, "I want to assure you that the Chinese government support peace and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan."

Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Zalmay Aziz also paid condolence in the afternoon.

Earlier, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Acting President and Defense Minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim have expressed their condolences over the death of the Chinese workers.

On Thursday morning, a group of about 20 armed men attacked the Chinese workers compound in Jelogir area, 36 km away of Kunduz city, killing 11 persons and injuring four others.

(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2004)