Blast at Afghan ministry kills 7

A suicide attacker blew himself up in front of a government ministry in Kabul yesterday as workers were leaving their offices, killing at least seven people and wounding more than 15, officials said, in the latest deadly violence in Afghanistan.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion that police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said happened at the rural rehabilitation and development ministry around 4:30pm.

Civilians and security forces were among the seven dead, Stanikzai said.

Ministry spokesman Fraidoon Azhand said the bomber struck at a security gate as employees were exiting the compound during rush hour. But it was not clear if the ministry was the target of the attack.

Stanikzai said security forces and a vehicle belonging to foreign advisers to the ministry were in the vicinity at the time of the attack.

There were no foreign casualties, he added. It is the second time in just over a month that the ministry has been caught up in a suicide attack.

On June 11 a bomber blew himself up as ministry workers queued for an early bus home during the holy month of Ramadan, killing at least 13 people and wounding 31.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that attack.

While the Taliban is Afghanistan's largest militant group and holds or contests more territory than any other, IS has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to carry out devastating attacks in urban areas.