Blast kills 2, wounds 10 in Afghan capital: official

KABUL - Two persons, including a would-be suicide bomber, were killed and 10 others sustained injuries as a blast rocked the Darul Aman area of Afghanistan's Kabul city on Monday, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said.

"A suicide bomber was attempting to blow himself up among people in a crowded area in Police District 7 at around 11:00 am local time today but security personnel identified and gunned down him which led to a blast," Zadran said on his Twitter account.

The official added that "unfortunately one civilian was martyred and 10 others injured due to the blast of the suicide bomber" in the incident.

Without providing more details, Zadran said the security personnel cordoned off the area and began an investigation.

The blast, according to eyewitnesses, took place in the Alawdin area, a locality next to the Russian embassy, and casualties could be higher than reported.

No group or individual has claimed responsibility yet.

In a similar blast, for which the hardliner Daesh or Islamic State group has claimed responsibility, a suicide attack outside a mosque in the western Herat city on Friday claimed 18 lives, including a prominent cleric, and injured 23 others, according to officials.