Five people, including a British national, have died after a suicide bomber attacked a British embassy vehicle in the Afghan capital.
The blast in the east of Kabul wounded 33 people, including many bystanders.
It is the latest in a wave of bombings to hit Kabul as the majority of foreign combat troops prepare to withdraw from the country by the end of the year.
Taliban insurgents, who have been gaining momentum since they were ousted from power by a US-led coalition in 2001, claimed responsibility for the attack.
They said it "targeted foreign invading forces".
The British embassy confirmed that two embassy personnel, including a British national, were among the five killed.
British foreign secretary Philip Hammond said in a statement that he is "deeply saddened to confirm that a British national civilian security team member and an Afghan national working for the embassy were killed in the incident."
G4S, the world's biggest security firm, has also confirmed one of its staff was killed in the blast and another injured.
A Reuters witness saw at least one survivor being led away from the charred shell of the vehicle on foot by a member of the British security force.
The interior ministry initially reported the blast was caused by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle, but later said the attacker was travelling by car.
Another explosion shook houses in Kabul's diplomatic quarter shortly after 7pm local time, according to local witnesses, who also claim to have heard gunfire after the blast.
The Afghan capital has been hit by a wave of attacks in recent weeks.
Today's bombings bring to at least five the total since Monday, when two US soldiers were killed in a powerful blast close to the airport.
While not common, attacks against diplomatic missions and personnel in Afghanistan show a determination to target anyone associated with the US-led mission.
