Suicide attack kills 17 near former CIA base in Afghanistan

At least 17 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in a suicide bombing near a military base formerly used by U.S.'s Central Investigative Agency (CIA), in Afghanistan, officials said.

Those killed were civilians waiting in cars to clear the checkpoint at the time of the explosion.

The bomber blew himself up at a checkpoint near Camp Chapman in eastern Khost province on Sunday, reported the BBC.

The base houses both Afghan and foreign troops, including U.S. soldiers. No foreign troops were killed in the incident.

The military base was earlier targeted by insurgents in a deadly attack in 2009 when a suicide bomber killed seven officials.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.