A suicide bomber on Tuesday targeted the Kabul diplomatic area, close to the Australian embassy, Al Jazeera reported. The Ministry of Defence told the Doha-based broadcaster that the explosion happened outside their building in the Wazir Akbar Khan area, but they were not the target.

Witnesses said that there were many casualties, reported AFP. At least eight people “appeared to have been killed”, Reuters reported quoting its television team. Three bodies and 10 injured people had been taken to city hospitals, the agency quoted an unidentified public health official as saying.

Security forces immediately cordoned off the area and ambulances rushed the victims to hospital, ToloNews reported.