KABUL - A woman suicide bomber blew herself up in the eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan, wounding 18 people including three police, the Interior Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

"A woman suicide bomber blew herself up in Shigal district and targeted police checkpoint on Monday evening. As a result, three policemen and 15 civilians were injured," the statement said.

This is the first time that a woman carried out a suicide attack in the militancy-ridden Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Taliban outfit in a statement claimed responsibility for the attack, saying a woman fighter by carrying out a suicide attack in Kunar province killed and injured 17 American soldiers on Monday evening.

Three more suicide bombers were killed in Marja of Helmand province as their device went off prematurely on the same day of Monday, said the statement.