A SUICIDE attacker detonated a car-bomb outside a police station in the Afghan capital Kabul yesterday wounding at least 95 people, government officials said, and the Taliban claimed responsibility.

There has been no let-up in violence in Afghanistan even though the Taliban and the United States appear close to a historic pact for U.S. troops to withdraw in exchange for a Taliban promise the country would not be used as a base from which to plot attacks by extremists.

The blast, in the west of the city during the morning rush hour, sent a huge cloud of gray smoke billowing into the sky.

The Taliban said a “recruitment center” had been attacked by one of their suicide bombers.

“A large number of soldiers and police were killed or wounded,” the Taliban said in a statement.

Government security officials said they were searching the scene and expected to update casualty details later.

The bomb went off when a vehicle was stopped at a checkpoint outside the police station, said interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi.  (SD-Agencies)