Russian embassy staff and civilian killed in Kabul blast
Members of staff and civilians were killed when a blast went off outside the Russian embassy in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Monday.
At least two embassy workers and at least one civilian died, a Russian state news agency and a local police official said.
A higher death toll was expected, with conflicting reports saying between eight and 10 people had been killed.
The RIA Novosti news agency said the explosion went off when a Russian diplomat came out to people waiting outside to call out the names of candidates for visas.
Citing Moscow's Foreign Ministry, the agency later reported that two members of the embassy staff were killed.
A spokesman for the Kabul police chief said at least one civilian was killed and that 10 others were wounded.
He said a suicide attacker tried to detonate a bomb in the crowd, but was identified by security forces who shot him.
It was not immediately clear if he was able to detonate the explosives.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion, the latest to strike the country in the year since the Taliban seized power.
The Islamic State group's local affiliate has stepped up attacks against the Taliban and civilians since the former insurgents took over the country last year.
