At least ten people were killed and many injured after a Taliban suicide bomber driving an explosives-laden car blew himself up near a heavily-guarded government office complex in the centre of the Afghan capital on Thursday, according to reports.
The attack took place near the headquarters of the Afghan intelligence agency. However, no details on casualties were known immediately, the Efe news reported.
The Taliban insurgent group claimed the Kabul attack, saying the suicide bombing targeted a convoy of “foreign invaders” going to the NDS office.
Its spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted that three Land Cruisers were “completely damaged” in the attack that killed “12 foreign invaders and eight NDS soldiers”.
The explosion comes as the US and the Taliban are believed to have finalized in principle an agreement for peace in Afghanistan after a year of negotiations to end the 18-year old war.
Kabul Police spokesperson Firdaws Faramarz said that the attack “caused casualties to civilians and damaged several cars on the road”. But he didn’t give specific figures.
“We confirm a blast happened at 10.10 am in Shashdarak area of Police District 9th. We are working on details,” Interior Ministry spokesperson Nasrat Rahimi said in a statement.
On Monday, 16 people were killed and hundreds of others injured after a massive explosion struck in Kabul.
Last month, 63 people were killed and more than 180 injured after a suicide bomber targeted a wedding hall in Kabul, packed with hundreds of guests.