A huge explosion hit an area of Afghanistan capital Kabul on Saturday where many foreign embassies and government buildings are located, several news agencies reported quoting witnesses.
Local agency TOLOnews reported the blast, caused by a car bomb, occured at Sadarat square in front of old ministry of interior building. The area houses offices of the European Union and the High Peace Council. Kabul police headquarters is also in the vicinity of the blast.
The agency quoted emergency hospital officials saying at least 50 people were wounded in the explosion.
“I can confirm an explosion happened near the old interior ministry building in Kabul,” interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP.
AFP reporters heard a loud explosion that shook the windows of their compound, and photos shared on social media purportedly of the blast showed a huge plume of smoke rising into the sky.
The explosion comes exactly a week after Taliban militants stormed a luxury hotel in Kabul, killing at least 22 people, the majority foreigners.
A security alert issued to foreigners on Saturday morning warned that the Islamic State group, which has terrorised the city in recent months, was planning “to conduct aggressive attacks” on supermarkets, shops and hotels frequented by foreigners.