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The White House has condemned the "heinous" twin suicide attacks that killed at least nine journalists and 16 others in Kabul, the deadliest assault on Afghan media since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

"We strongly condemn yesterday's suicide bombing in Kabul," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters. 

"Afghanistan's press corps is a powerful illustration of how that country has transformed. There is absolutely no justification for such a senseless and heinous act."

Sanders was echoing comments by Pentagon chief Jim Mattis, who insisted the US would stand by the Afghan people and the Kabul government.

"The murder of journalists and other innocent people is a great testimony to what it is we stand for, and more importantly what we stand against," he said.

"We'll stand by the Afghan people, we'll stand by the Afghan government and the NATO mission will continue as we drive them to a political settlement."

The blasts come days after the Taliban kicked off their annual spring offensive, a rejection of the Afghan government's offer of peace talks. 

During the announcement, the Taliban vowed to target US forces and "their intelligence agents" as well as their "internal supporters".

A separate shooting in eastern Khost province killed a BBC reporter.