Alwaght- Huge explosion near Presidential Palace in Kabul claimed lives of at least 28 people and injured 327 more others.
The incident took place at about 9am (local time) in Tuesday morning with the apparent target being a Secret Service Unit tasked with protecting VIPs, Afghanistan-based Tolonews reported.
The unit's compound is situated close to the Ministry of Defense in Pul-e-Mahmood Khan.
The casualties are expected to rise, Health Ministry spokesman Ismail Kawosi told Reuters, adding that civilians and Afghan security soldiers were among those killed and injured in the attack.
Security forces cordoned off the area as heavy gunfire erupted immediately after the explosion and continued for at least two hours.
Photos have emerged showing plumes of smoke rising over the city center. According to Afghan Tolo news, a suicide bomber detonated explosive-laden vehicle outside Afghan Secret Service unit. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the militant group said, as cited by AP.
A separate statement on the Taliban’s website said that a suicide car bomber blew himself up in front of the office of National Directorate of Security, Reuters reported. The group claimed that Taliban fighters, including more suicide bombers, had entered the compound.
"First a suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden lorry on the gate of the department and then other armed attackers went in and started shooting on the rest of the enemies," the statement said.
The blast took place in Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood, one of the most affluent districts in the Afghan capital, a few hundred meters from the presidential palace, known as Arg. Also major Afghan security agencies, including the headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force and the Defense Ministry, are located in the area.
