Terrorist violence in Kabul continued on Tuesday as militants attacked an international charity following a double bombing near the defense ministry.

The attackers detonated a car bomb in front of CARE International late Monday. Afterward, militants took several people hostage, kicking off a standoff that wouldn't end until Tuesday morning.

At least 42 people were trapped in the building during the siege, before security forces killed the hostage-takers. Both the government and the charity said the hostages had been safely rescued.

The CARE office is located near a government compound, and it wasn't initially clear which site the militants had intended to attack.

Days of violence

Earlier on Monday, twin blasts near the Defense Ministry complex killed at least 24 people and wounded 91 others in Kabul's deadliest attack in months. The Afghan Taliban claimed the attack, which they said killed 58 officers and commanders.

A single suicide bomber rushed the busy downtown area near the government buildings first, before a second targeted security forces who had come to help the victims of the first bombing.

"The enemies of Afghanistan have lost their ability to fight the security and defence forces of the country," said President Ashraf Ghani in a statement.

"That is why they are attacking highways, cities, mosques, schools and common people."

The day of heavy violence came just two weeks after 16 people died when militants stormed the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul.

es/cmk (AP, dpa, Reuters)