President Hamid Karzai has issued a condolence letter to the family of US diplomat Anne Smedinghoff who was killed in an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan last week.
Writing to Anne's parents, Karzai said "no words are adequate to comfort the deep pain that you and your family are feeling at the loss of your beloved daughter."
"Please know that we recognise and honour Anne's ultimate sacrifice in the service of the United States of America and for global security," his letter concluded.
Anne Smedinghoff, 25, was en route to a school in southern Zabul province on April 6 to distribute books to the Afghan children when she was killed in an explosion. The young diplomat joined the US State Department three years ago and was serving the second half her one year tour at the Public Diplomacy section of the US Embassy in Kabul.
Anne's death has deeply saddened her colleagues at the US embassy. Her colleagues say Anne had direct contact with the people of Afghanistan and she helped with organising the trips of Afghan music orchestra and Oscar-nominated Bozkashi Boys actors to the United States earlier this year.
"She was so engaged in reaching out to the Afghan public. She was trying to show that there was so many positive stories going on here in Afghanistan. She was deeply committed to the Afghan people. The work she did highlighted the best that was going on here in some ways," said John Rhatigan, the Deputy Spokesman for the US Embassy in Kabul.
"She was really committed in building bridges," he added.
Anne's colleagues say that they are committed to keep her legacy alive by continuing the work she was doing in Afghanistan, which was focused on helping the Afghans directly.
Solmaz Sharifi, an information specialist at the embassy who came to Afghanistan with Anne, said her slain colleague was helping the people in the United States too where she had spent money gathered from a cycling competition on children with cancer.
"I cannot imagine working here without Anne. She was a driving force in our team," Solmaz told TOLOnews at the US embassy while pointing to a big portrait of Anne.
Anne's courage and sacrifice has been appreciated by some Afghan women, including some female MPs.
"Women like Anne come to Afghanistan and put their lives at risk. They show courage and bravery for Afghanistan and the values of Afghanistan. We regret losing such women of aspiration," said Nahid Fareed who represents Herat province in the Afghan parliament.
Part of Anne's job included writing press releases and speeches for the US ambassadors in Afghanistan.
Anne is said to the first US diplomat to be killed in Afghanistan since the US-led war began in 2001.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story wrongly suggested there had been a US State Department cover-up in the details of Anne Smedinghoff's death and misquoted John Rhatigan in this regard. TOLOnews apologises for the mistake.