Washington (CNN) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned a decision by the International Criminal Court to authorize an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Afghanistan by US armed forces, the CIA, and the Taliban.

"This is a truly breathtaking action by an unaccountable political institution masquerading as a legal body," Pompeo said Thursday during remarks at the State Department. "It is all the more reckless for this ruling to come just days after the United States signed a historic peace deal on Afghanistan, which is the best chance for peace in a generation."

"The United States is not a party to the ICC, and we will take all necessary measures to protect our citizens from this renegade, so-called court," he said.

Chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda sought authorization in November 2017 to open an investigation into crimes connected to the conflict in Afghanistan. According to a statement from the time, Bensouda's office "determined that there is a reasonable basis to believe" that members of the Afghan National Security Forces, the US armed forces and the CIA had committed "war crimes," and that members of the Taliban had committed both war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On Thursday, the ICC Appeals Chamber ruled unanimously in favor of allowing the investigation. Bensouda's initial request for authorization to open the investigation was denied in April 2019. At that time, the three judge panel "concluded that an investigation into the situation in Afghanistan at this stage would not serve the interests of justice."

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