At least 80 killed, 320 injured in Kabul suicide car attack in diplomatic zone

The blast took place  at around 08 30 am on Wazir Akbar Khan road close to the Zanbaq square- Kabul's high security diplomatic area where the Indian embassy and several other diplomatic missions are located.

Al Jazeera quoted police and health official sources as saying that  least 80 people were killed and more than 300 wounded in the attack. The death toll was expected to rise.

Other media reports also quoted Afghanistan health ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh as saying that the toll is  80, though the state-run Khaama Press put the number of dead at 64.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the bomb blast in Kabul and underlined the need for defeating forces supporting terrorism. The PM, who is in Spain on a visit, said India stands with Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism.

“We strongly condemn the terrorist blast in Kabul. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased & prayers with the injured,” Modi tweeted on Wednesday.

The powerful blast damaged windows and doors of the Indian embassy but External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that all officials are safe.

"By God's grace, Indian Embassy staff are safe in the massive blast," Swaraj tweeted.

Most of the victims are reported to be civilians.

Local TV channels showed the damaged buildings and cars on the blast site with a huge plumage of smoke hanging in the air.

Similar incidents have taken place in Afghanistan in the past few months.

Earlier this month, at least eight people were killed after militants targeted a NATO convoy while it was passing the US embassy.

No group has claimed responsibility so far.