Afghan security forces
© REUTERS/ Omar Sobhani
Five people were killed, with another eight injured, in the blast near the US embassy in Kabul on Tuesday, Waheed Majroh, the Afghan Health Ministry's spokesman, told Sputnik.

"According to the most recent figures, five were killed and eight were injured," Majroh said.

The spokesman added that the Health Ministry has not heard anything about US embassy personnel being affected by the explosion and it does not have any information regarding the identity of the victims.

A US military spokesman told Sputnik that no US troops stationed in Afghanistan were injured in the explosion.

The area close to US embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul was hit by an explosion around 10 a.m. local time, local media reported earlier citing police sources.

According to the Tolo News broadcaster, nearby buildings were damaged. The explosion was carried out by a suicide attacker.

The Taliban terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the recent Kabul explosion that took place close to the US embassy, local media reported.

The blast hit a Kabul Bank branch not far from the heavily fortified US embassy building, the Reuters news agency reported.

The explosion occurred a few days after the Shiite mosque attack. A suicide bomber blew himself up in Zamam Mosque. At least 2 were people killed and 11 others were injured in that incident.