Kabul suicide bombing targets foreign troops in Afghanistan

Nato soldiers walk in front of a damaged Nato military vehicle at the site of a suicide car bomb blast in Kabul (Reuters)

A suicide car bomber has targeted a convoy of foreign troops in the Afghan capital during rush hour-traffic, flipping an armoured vehicle on its side.

Taliban insurgents have claimed responsibility for the attack in the city centre that broke a period of relative calm in Kabul after a series of bombings in August.

The number of casualities remains unknown.

TV footage showed an armoured vehicle on its side as Afghan security forces cordoned off the street in the Joi Sheer neighbourhood.

"It was a suicide bombing against a foreign forces convoy in a crowded part of the city and there are casualties," said Najib Danish deputy spokesman for the interior ministry.

Mr Danish did not specify whether there were casualties among the foreign forces.

The US-led Resolute Support military coalition in Kabul confirmed that one of its convoys was struck by a bomb. "No casualties are reported at this time," said spokesman Colonel Brian Tribus.

The Taliban insurgents fighting to topple the foreign-backed Kabul government claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack, saying it killed a number of foreign troops.

The group typically inflates casualty figures they inflict on Afghan and coalition forces.

The attack came during a period of heightened tension following intense fighting between government troops and the Taliban around the northern city of Kunduz, which fell briefly to the insurgent Islamist movement at the end of last month.

Fighting between government forces and the Taliban continues on the outskirts of Kunduz.

A spokesman for the MoD said: "We are aware of an incident in Kabul and are currently investigating. The UK-led Kabul Security Force has deployed to the scene to assist.