Brussels, Aug 26 (DPA) The Taliban insurgency cannot be let off the hook for the devastating attack in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar that killed at least 43 civilians, NATO said Wednesday.

'They do not get to wash their hands of this,' NATO spokesman James Appathurai said, commenting on reports that the Taliban had denied responsibility for Tuesday's attack.

'The Taliban carry out terrorist attacks on a regular basis throughout the country and host terrorist organisations that carry out terrorist attacks throughout the country. They cannot absolve themselves of responsibility for this attack, either directly or

indirectly,' Appathurai told reporters in Brussels.

A Taliban spokesman, Qari Mohammad Yousif Ahmadi, had earlier Wednesday condemned the attack, telling DPA that the organisation was 'not involved'.

The Taliban often deny responsibility for incidents in which a large number of civilians lose their lives.

The blast, which is believed to have been triggered by a truck loaded with explosives, also flattened at least 12 houses and damaged several others. It set alight a wedding hall and broke windows as far as a kilometre away.