KABUL -- A loud explosion has jolted the Afghan capital, Kabul, shaking windows and doors in houses several kilometers away from the blast, officials and eyewitnesses say.
Interior Ministry spokesman Nusrat Rahimi said it was a car bombing that happened at around 9:45 p.m. local time on September 2 near the Green Village, a large compound to the east of the city that houses aid agencies and international organizations.
"A nearby gas station also caught fire and exploded. Police and special forces have arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area," Rahimi tweeted.
The sound of gunfire could also be heard in the aftermath of the explosion and a cloud of smoke could be seen spiraling into the sky over the area.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack or any information on casualties.
The Taliban and Islamic State militant groups have targeted Kabul in the past.
The latest attack comes U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad was in Kabul to discuss with Afghan officials a draft peace deal with the Taliban.
Kabul's Green Village was targeted by a truck bomb in January that killed four people and wounded 90 others.
Green Village is separate from the nearby Green Zone, a heavily fortified part of Kabul that is home to several embassies including the U.S. and British facilities.
With reporting by Reuters, Tolo News, and dpa
