At least 22 people have been killed and 70 wounded in twin bombings near the Afghan parliament in Kabul, officials say.

The attack took place during rush hour, as staff were leaving the parliament complex. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombings.

Most of the victims are said to be civilians, including parliament employees. Reports speak of a suicide bomber and a car bomb.

Waheed Majroh, an Afghan health ministry official, said wounded people were taken to Istiqlal and Emergency hospitals. Initial reports suggest the attack is the bloodiest to strike Kabul for several months.

An injured parliament security guard named as Zabi told AFP: «The first explosion happened outside the parliament… a number of innocent workers were killed and wounded. It was caused by a suicide bomber on foot.»

The second blast was reportedly caused by a car bomb. «It was parked on the other side of the road and flung me back when it detonated,» the guard said.

Ahmad Wali, police chief of Kabul’s district 7, said the second bomb went off when police went to help the victims of the first. He said the explosions were close to the gates of the city’s American University.

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