KABUL, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan has called for more protection of civilians and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country, the office said in a statement on its website Friday.

On Wednesday, a Taliban-claimed suicide car bombing and ensuing shooting attack targeted a U.S.-funded NGO, leaving nine people, including four civilians dead, and injured 20 others, in a busy street in the Afghan capital Kabul.

"Such attacks or, indeed, any others that result in death or injury to civilians cannot be justified, and I call on parties to the conflict to protect and respect the safety of all civilians, especially during the holy month of Ramadan," United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator Toby Lanzer was quoted in the statement as saying.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) regretted over the incident, saying, "Ramadan has got off to a very bloody start with civilians in various parts of the country yet again bearing the brunt of violence perpetrated by parties to the conflict."

The Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of conflicts as more than 3,800 civilians were killed and over 7,180 others injured in conflict-related incidents in 2018 in the war-torn country, according to the United Nations mission figures.