A suicide car bombing targeting a hospital in Afghanistan's Logar province has killed over 20 after detonating at a maternity ward at the hospital.
Estimates of the casualties, which included patients and medical staff, varied widely in chaotic scenes outside the hospital in the remote Azra district of eastern Logar province, which is just south of Kabul.
The casualties are all patients, their visitors and relatives and hospital personnel.
Deen Mohammad Darwish, a spokesman for the Logar provincial government, said as many as 35 people were killed, although Afghanistan's Interior Ministry put the death toll at 20.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has denied responsibility and said the Islamist insurgents never attack hospitals.
The blast was caused by a car packed with explosives and driven by a suicide attacker.
President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack in which he said 'tens of civilians' were killed.
The United Nations said the maternity ward was hit in the bombing.
Staffan de Mistura, the UN chief in Afghanistan, has said that 'this is a despicable attack against civilians who were seeking medical care, as well as visiting family members and health workers.'
Meanwhile, the Afghan President has told a counterterrorism summit in Tehran today that despite his government's efforts, militancy was on the rise in both his country and the region.
The two-day summit is being attended by the heads of state of six regional countries, including Afghan neighbours Iran and Pakistan.
