At least five people have been killed and 10 wounded in a suicide bomb blast near government offices in the heart of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, according to police.

The incident on Wednesday happened when a suicide bomber on foot detonated his explosives about 100m from the gate of the presidential palace and close to where the Afghan finance ministry is located.

Al Jazeera's Qais Azimy, reporting from Kabul, said both the location and the timing of the attack were very important.

"It happened in District N.2 - almost at the heart of Kabul and one of its safest parts," Azimy said.

"It also happened at the end of the working day, when most of the government employees working in the presidential palace and the finance ministry were rushing to go to their homes."

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) armed group claimed responsibility for the attack in an online post.

Azimy said ISIL's emergence in Afghanistan and its ability to launch such attacks raised further concerns in a country already struggling to deal with an offensive by the Taliban armed group.

"The people of Kabul and Afghanistan are now more worried because the Afghan security forces are really having a hard time to fight the Taliban, and no one is looking forward for a new group to emerge in this country," Azimy said.

READ MORE: ISIL expands in Afghan-Pakistan areas, widening attacks

ISIL's offshoot in Afghanistan in Pakistan, known as the so-called Khorasan Province, was created in 2015.

The Afghan Taliban, who are trying to overthrow the US-backed government in Kabul, is opposed to it and the two have clashed as they seek to expand territory and influence.

US officials say intelligence suggests ISIL is based overwhelmingly in Nangarhar and neighbouring Kunar province.

Estimates of its strength in Afghanistan vary. US officials have said they believe its has only 700 fighters but Afghan officials estimate it has about 1,500.</s>In Afghanistan, a suicide bomber killed five people and injured 10 others Wednesday in an attack near government offices in the capital city, Kabul.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Democracy Now.</s>KABUL—An Islamic State suicide bomber on foot detonated his vest near the gates of the Ministry of Defense in Kabul, an attack Afghan officials said killed at least five people and wounded three others.

Wednesday’s assault was the latest in a string claimed in Afghanistan by the extremist group, which has expanded its presence in the country even as it loses territory to U.S.-backed forces in Iraq and Syria. Islamic State in recent months has claimed the majority of high-profile attacks in Afghanistan’s capital, despite...</s>KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official says that a suicide bomber has detonated his payload near government offices in the capital.

Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said it was not yet clear how many people might have been killed or wounded in Wednesday’s blast in central Kabul. He says the target of the attack is also unclear.

Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Mujro says at least two people were wounded in the attack.

No one has claimed responsibility, but the Taliban frequently target the U.S.-backed government and its security forces.</s>The attack took place near the Administrative Office of the President and the ministries of defense and finance, ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. He said the target of the attack was unclear.

ISIS claimed responsibility via a statement released by the group's media wing, Amaq News Agency. The site said a suicide bomber detonated himself at the "second checkpoint of the presidential building in Kabul."

CNN cannot independently confirm claims by ISIS on Amaq. There was no proof on Amaq of ISIS planning or directing the attack.

Political offices in Kabul have been the scene of a number of attacks in recent months.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official confirmed that at least five people were killed when a suicide bomber on foot carried out an attack in the capital, Kabul.

Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said three others were wounded in Wednesday’s blast in central Kabul.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s attack via the IS-run Amaq news agency.

The attack took place near the country’s Defense Ministry compound, as well as a city police station.

Last month around 50 people were killed after militants stormed a military hospital in Kabul; that attack was also claimed by the Islamic State group.</s>Security forces stand by after a suicide bomber detonated his payload near government offices in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry says it is not yet clear how many people might have been killed or wounded in the blast in central Kabul.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Houston Chronicle.</s>By Associated Press An Afghan official says that a suicide bomber has detonated his payload near government offices in Kabul. Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said it was not yet clear how many people might have been killed or wounded in Wednesday's blast in central Kabul.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Manila Bulletin.</s>KABUL - At least five people were killed Wednesday when a suicide bomber on foot struck near the Afghan defence ministry in Kabul, officials said, in an attack that was claimed by the Islamic State group.

Three other people were left wounded in the explosion, which occurred during afternoon rush hour when employees of the ministry were likely to go home.

"Most of the people killed and wounded were civilians, but we don't know the exact target," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP.

Islamic State group claimed the attack through its propaganda agency Amaq. It said the bomber had targeted a checkpoint outside the Afghan presidential palace.

IS, notorious for their brutal reign of terror in Syria and Iraq, has made inroads into Afghanistan in recent years. They are known to be comprised of disaffected Pakistani and Afghan Taliban, as well as Uzbek Islamists. But the group has been steadily losing territory in the face of heavy pressure from both US air strikes and a ground offensives led by Afghan forces.

Islamic State's strength has now depleted to 600-700 fighters from 3,000 in early 2016, NATO has said, adding that it killed the top 12 IS commanders in Afghanistan last year.

The jihadists also claimed a deadly assault on Afghanistan's largest military hospital last month, but survivors who spoke to AFP said the attackers chanted "Long live Taliban" in Pashto.

Afghanistan is also bracing for a fierce Taliban offensive in the spring after the failure of repeated government attempts to launch peace negotiations.

Reuters adds: A Defence Ministry spokesman said at least one civilian and two members of the Afghan security forces were among the casualties, adding that the target appeared to be a police post near military headquarters.

A police officer at the scene told Reuters the attack appeared to have been carried out by a suicide bomber on foot. A Reuters witness reported seeing several damaged cars, with possible injuries to the occupants.

Last month, Islamic State fighters killed nearly 50 people when then stormed the main military hospital in Kabul.</s>Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack on Wednesday near the Afghan Defence Ministry that killed at least three people.

At least one civilian and two members of the Afghan security forces were killed, a ministry spokesman said, adding that the target appeared to be a police post near military headquarters.

A police officer at the scene told Reuters the attack appeared to have been carried out by a suicide bomber on foot. A Reuters witness reported seeing several damaged cars, with possible injuries to the occupants.

Last month, Islamic State fighters killed nearly 50 people when then stormed the main military hospital in Kabul.

Islamic State’s offshoot in Afghanistan, known as the Sunni jihadist group’s so-called Khorasan Province, is suspected of carrying out several attacks on minority Shi’ite Muslim targets. U.S. officials say intelligence suggests Islamic State is based overwhelmingly in Nangarhar and neighbouring Kunar province.

Estimates of its strength in Afghanistan vary. US officials have said they believe the movement has only 700 fighters but Afghan officials estimate it has about 1,500.

The Afghan Taliban, who are trying to overthrow the US-backed government in Kabul, are fiercely opposed to Islamic State and the two have clashed as they seek to expand territory and influence.
A suicide bomber kills at least five people and wounds ten more near government offices in Kabul. ISIL claims responsibility for the attack.