Kabul blast: Suicide attack near Afghan intelligence HQ

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, Security forces sealed off the area after the attack

Ten people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack near the compound of Afghanistan's intelligence agency in Kabul, officials say.

Another five people were injured when the attacker, who was on foot, blew himself up as agency employees were on their way to work.

The victims included women whose car was going past the area at the time of the blast, reports said.

Sunni Muslim militant group Islamic State said it was behind the attack.

The director of hospitals in Kabul said the number of casualties could rise.

The number of such bombings in Afghanistan has grown in recent months:

  • In October, at least 39 people were killed in an attack on a mosque belonging to the Shia Muslim minority
  • In May, a huge bomb in the diplomatic quarter or Green Zone killed more than 150 people - the deadliest suicide attack since the Taliban were driven from power by US-led forces in 2001

Last week, Islamic State (IS) also targeted a training centre belonging to the intelligence agency. The jihadist group has been active in Afghanistan since January 2015.