A view of damaged hotel after an explosion in the city of Khost province eastern of Afghanistan, Aug 14, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Three people have been confirmed dead and 12 others injured as a suicide blast rocked Kandahar city, the provincial capital of south Afghanistan's Kandahar province, on Thursday, provincial police spokesman Mullah Asadullah Jamshid said.

"A suicide blast in front of Kabul bank in the Police District 1 of Kandahar city at 08:30 am local time martyred three persons and injured 12 others," Jamshid confirmed.

No group or individual claimed responsibility for the attack

The officer said that the attack was conducted by "Khawarej", a reference to the Islamic State (IS) outfit, when a group of people were waiting outside to withdraw money from the bank.

Without providing more details, Jamshid said that the blast targeted a civilian area and a majority of the victims were ordinary people.

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Eyewitnesses believed that the number of casualties could be higher than reported as many people including military personnel were waiting outside.

No group or individual claimed responsibility for the attack.