UPDATED: 05:11 a.m. ET
A suicide bomber attacked a British embassy vehicle in the Afghan capital Kabul on Thursday, killing at least five people, including one British citizen, and wounding more than 30 others, officials said.
The British citizen killed was working as part of the embassy's security team, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in a statement. An Afghan national who had been working for the embassy was also killed in the attack, he added. A second British citizen was injured.
Attack in #Kabul brings home again the courage of Afghan people + members of international community who support them @UKinAfghanistan— Philip Hammond (@PHammondMP) November 27, 2014
Kabir Amiri, the administrative head of Kabul hospitals, said up to 34 people were wounded. Afghan Public Health Ministry spokesman Kanishka Bektash Turkistani said the wounded included five children.
Picture of one civilian car were damaged today #Kabul explosion — Mustafa Deveci (@Mustafa_DVC) November 27, 2014
The attack took place in the east of the city, shaking parts of Kabul and sending a huge plume of dust and smoke into the air.
"Foreign vehicles were targeted by a suicide attacker on a motorcycle," Deputy Interior Minister Gen. Mohammad Ayub Salangi said. Earlier, a local police officer said the attacker was in a car packed with explosives.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief statement.
The area of the blast in eastern Kabul has many foreign compounds and international military installations.
In recent weeks, insurgents have launched attacks on military convoys in the area and on compounds housing foreign service companies and their international employees.
Kabul has come under almost daily attack as insurgents intensify their war on local security forces and U.S. and NATO troops, who are set to officially conclude their combat role in the country at the end of next month.