Kabul blast targets foreign forces; car bomb kills 2 in southern Afghanistan

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) A bombing targeted an international convoy in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Tuesday, only hours after a deadly suicide blast rocked a city in southern Helmand province.

The Kabul suicide car bomb targeted the foreign forces as they traveled along the airport road, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said.

One Afghan civilian was killed and 22 other civilians were wounded, Sediqqi said.

Dr. Kabir Amiri, head of Kabul's Central Hospital, said 17 injured people, including three children and a woman, were taken to different hospitals in the city after the attack.

The blast caused smoke to rise above the city and triggered an alarm in the U.S. Embassy. The road runs close to the embassy and other diplomatic compounds in Kabul.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the suicide attack via Twitter.

NATO's Resolute Support mission confirmed there had been an attack against coalition forces in Kabul at lunchtime but said the mission had sustained no casualties. All personnel and vehicles have been recovered, spokeswoman Capt. Susan M. Harrington said.

The International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan ended in December and was replaced by the Resolute Support mission on January 1.

The U.S. Embassy condemned the Kabul bombing and offered condolences to the families of those killed and injured.

"The attack resulted tragically in civilian casualties and demonstrates the blatant disregard for human life by those seeking to disrupt Afghanistan's democratic progress," an embassy statement said.

Helmand province bombing kills 2

The earlier suicide car bombing in Helmand province killed two civilians and injured 51 others, a spokesman for the provincial governor said.

The bomb went off near the police headquarters in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital, about 11 a.m., according to the spokesman, Omar Zwak.

One of those killed was a woman, he said, while the injured included women, children and three police officers.

The suicide bomber's target was the police headquarters, Zwak said, but his explosives-laden vehicle went off before reaching the target.