At least six people die in Taliban attack near Nato headquarters in the Afghan capital

This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

A suicide bomb attack near Nato headquarters in the Afghan capital of Kabul has killed at least six people, Nato and local officials have said.

The bomber, who was riding an explosives-laden motorcycle, blew himself up near the entrance of the base Camp Eggers on Saturday morning, a Nato spokeswoman said.

Those killed, who include young children, were all civilians, said an interior ministry spokesman. Another five people were injured.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying target was the Kabul offices of the CIA.

"One of our mujahideen targeted an important intelligence office used for recruiting Americans and Afghans for spying," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters.

He said in an email that the bomber was a 28-year-old militant from Logar province, south of Kabul.

But Kabul deputy police chief Daud Amin said eyewitnesses reported seeing a teenage boy, who was about 13 or 14 years old, walking in the area carrying a bag.

Jamie Graybeal, a spokesman for the US-led international military alliance, said he was not aware of any casualties among members of the coalition.

The US and Italian embassies as well as the Afghan presidential palace are also located near the site of the blast.

Sediqqi speculated on his Twitter feed the attack may have been carried out by the insurgent Haqqani network, one of the most dangerous militant groups fighting US-led forces in Afghanistan.

The Obama administration on Friday declared the Haqqanis a terrorist body, banning Americans from doing any business with members of the Pakistan-based militant group and blocks any assets it holds in the US.