Explosion in Kabul, at least seven killed

At least seven people were killed and just as many were injured when a bomb car exploded near the Afghan Interior Ministry in Kabul, officials reported.

The blast occurred in the Qasaba area at the capital's police district north of Kabul's airport, Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Taliban militants like the extremist Islamic State militant group are active in Kabul.

All the dead were civilians, Rahim said, while adding that the number of victims could increase.

The blast came a day after the Afghan government freed three major prisoners from the ranks of the Taliban, including Anas Haqqani, Sirayuddin Haqqani's younger brother, the head of the Haqqani network, in exchange for two professors of the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul an American and an Australian.

Some analysts had hoped this development could reduce violence in Afghanistan.

Neither the Taliban nor the Haqqani network, which is part of the militant group, have commented so far on the exchange of prisoners.