A powerful vehicle bomb has hit the diplomatic area of the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing at least 80 people and injuring 350.
It struck close to the German embassy in Zanbaq Square, with civilians said to be the main casualties. The morning rush-hour blast was so strong it blew out windows and doors hundreds of metres away.
No group has yet said it carried out the bombing, but the Taliban and IS have both been behind recent attacks.
The bomb went off at about 08:25 local time (03:55 GMT) during rush hour in the diplomatic quarter. Makeshift ambulances carried wounded away from the scene, as frantic relatives gathered both at the cordoned-off perimeter of the blast site and later at hospitals to try to locate loved ones.
Images showed dozens of blackened and burned out cars. More than 50 vehicles were destroyed.
Basir Mujahid a spokesman for Kabul police, told Reuters news agency the explosion had taken place close to the German embassy but added it was “hard to say what the exact target is”.
There are many other key buildings in the area, including the presidential palace and a number of embassies, including the British. Some reports say the bomb was in a lorry or water tanker.
Questions are already being asked about how the vehicle could have penetrated such a heavily fortified area, with its 3m (10ft) high blast walls, to carry out the deadliest attack in the capital in years.
Initial reports suggest civilians bore the brunt of the casualties. The health ministry said the casualty figures were expected to rise further. Spokesman Ismael Kawoosi said: “They are still bringing bodies and wounded people to hospitals.”
The interior ministry has called on residents to donate blood, saying there was a “dire need”. One local shop owner, Sayed Rahman, told Reuters his store was badly damaged, adding: “I have never seen such a terrible explosion in my life.” Another resident, Abdul Wahid, said the blast “was like a heavy earthquake”.
Several international and local sources have been reporting on casualties:
A German security source said it was unclear whether any of Germany’s embassy staff had been killed or injured
French officials said the country’s embassy had been damaged, along with the German embassy, but there were no signs at this stage of any French casualties
The British embassy said all its staff were accounted for, while Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said the staff of its embassy were also safe
Two Japanese embassy staff members were slightly wounded
Afghanistan’s Tolo news agency tweeted that one of its staff members, Aziz Navin, had died
A Tolo journalist also said some of the victims were from the Roshan mobile phone company, but this has not been confirmed
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he “strongly condemned the cowardly attack in the holy month of Ramadan targeting innocent civilians in their daily life”. Indian PM Narendra Modi also tweeted his condemnation, saying: “Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased & prayers with the injured.”
No group has yet said it carried out Wednesday’s attack, but last month the Taliban announced the start of a major spring offensive, saying their main focus would be foreign forces, targeting them with a mix of conventional, guerrilla, insider and suicide attacks.
The US has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan, with another 5,000 from Nato allies. The Pentagon has reportedly pressed President Donald Trump to send thousands more troops back to the country to try to counter gains by the Taliban. More than a third of the country is now said to be outside Afghan government control.
A Taliban attack on an Afghan army training compound in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif last month killed at least 135 soldiers, and led to the resignation of the defence minister and army chief of staff.
The so-called Islamic State in Afghanistan has also been active, saying it was behind a suicide bomb attack this month on a Nato convoy that was passing the US embassy in Kabul. At least eight civilians were killed.
Major Recent Kabul Attacks
8 March 2017 – More than 30 people killed after attackers dressed as doctors stormed Sardar Daud Khan military hospital
21 Nov 2016 – At least 27 dead in a suicide bomb attack on Baqir ul Olum mosque during a Shia ceremony
23 July 2016 – At least 80 people killed in twin bomb blasts targeting a rally by the Shia Hazara minority in Deh Mazang square
19 Apr 2016 – At least 28 dead in a huge explosion close to the Afghan defence ministry building
1 Feb 2016 – 20 killed in a suicide bomb attack at police headquarters
7 Aug 2015 – At least 35 people dead in separate bomb attacks across the capital