An Afghan official says a car bomb has gone off near a military base in the southern city of Lashkar Gah, wounding 15 people.

Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, said all but one of those wounded in today's attack were soldiers.

He says the attack targeted a military convoy leaving the base.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which they said was carried out by a suicide bomber.

Lashkar Gah is the capital of Helmand province, where the Taliban have a strong presence and carry out near-daily attacks