Afghan officials: Suicide bomber kills 3 civilians in Kabul

A suicide bomber on Wednesday targeted a base belonging to Afghan special forces on the southern outskirts of the capital, Kabul, killing at least three civilians and wounding 15, officials said.

The government blamed the Taliban for the attack, which took place a day after the country's defense minister and the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan visited the facility.

The bombing happened outside the base for army commandos as civilian contractors working in the facility waited outside to get into the base, said a military official, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to brief media on the attack.

Tareq Arian, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said the site of the bombing was in the Chahar Asyab district and blamed the Taliban for the attack, calling it a crime against humanity.

The target was likely the base itself, but the bomber failed to reach his target and instead killed innocent civilians," Arian said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but both the Taliban and the Islamic State group are active in Kabul and its surroundings and have repeatedly targeted military and civilian targets.

The attack came a day after the Afghan defense minister, General Assadullah Khalid, and the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, US General Scott Miller, visited the base, praising achievements of the Afghan commandos and their dedication in defending the country.

The Taliban are continuing to attack security outposts, even as the US and NATO proceed with a full troop withdrawal that is set to be completed next year under a deal signed at the end of February between US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban.