SEVEN civilians were killed and 19 others were injured in a car bomb explosion near the Interior Ministry in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Tolo News reported.

At least five children were among the victims, the news agency said, citing security sources.

Nearby buildings, a couple of shops and vehicles were damaged in the powerful blast.

The blast occurred at around 7:25 a.m. local time yesterday in the Qasaba area in Police District 15 of Kabul city, where several foreign NGOs are located.

It’s reported the suicide car bomb was targeting a vehicle owned by foreign security company GardaWorld, and four of its security guards were wounded in the blast.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Interior Ministry spokesperson Nasrat Rahimi said on Twitter that the toll may change as the target area has not yet been cleared.

Local media said some vehicles were also damaged following the blast.

It came a day after two Taliban commanders and a leader of the Haqqani militant group were released in exchange for two professors, an American and an Australian, in a development some analysts had hoped could defuse violence in Afghanistan. (SD-Agencies)