The ICC is looking into potential war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Taliban, Afghan forces and CIA personnel. The investigation marks the first time the court's prosecutor has been authorized to investigate U.S. forces.

Pompeo noted the United States is not "a party" to the ICC and indicated Washington will continue its refusal to cooperate with the court.

"This is yet another reminder of what happens when multilateral bodies lack oversight and responsible leadership and become instead a vehicle for political vendettas," Pompeo said. "The ICC has today stumbled into a sorry affirmation of every denunciation made by its harshest critics over the past three decades."

Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda claimed U.S. personnel “committed acts of torture, cruel treatment, outrages upon personal dignity, rape and sexual violence against conflict-related detainees in Afghanistan and other locations, principally in the 2003-2004 period," The Associated Press reported.