The September 12 bombing in Chahar Asyab district was claimed by the Taliban.

At least three other people were wounded in the attack that targeted an Afghan special forces base, Defense Ministry spokesman Rohullah Ahmadzai said.

Ahmadzai denied reports saying that gunmen were also involved in the attack -- the latest since President Donald Trump last week called off U.S.-Taliban talks aimed at ending the war in Afghanistan.

Speaking at an event marking the 18th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that ushered the conflict, Trump pledged to hit the Taliban "harder" than ever.

In the last four days, U.S. forces have "hit our enemy harder than they have ever been hit before and that will continue,” he told the Pentagon event honoring the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks.

Trump reiterated that he had called off the peace negotiations with the Taliban because of a car bombing carried out by the militant group in Kabul that killed a U.S. soldier and 11 other people.

After nine rounds of talks with the Taliban in Qatar to end America’s longest war, U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad had said he had reached an agreement “in principle” with the militants.

Despite the negotiations, the Taliban never agreed to end their violent campaign against Afghan and foreign forces.

With reporting by dpa, AP, and TOLOnews