A British national was among five people killed in a suicide attack on an embassy vehicle in Kabul, Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said.

Spokesman Seddiq Sediqqi added that an Afghan national who was driving the British Embassy vehicle rammed by another vehicle packed with explosives was among the four Afghans also killed in the attack. Another 33 civilians were injured.

The embassy's spokesman confirmed the attack and said some people were injured. He added that the vehicle was not carrying any British diplomats.

The attack took place in the east of the city, shaking parts of Kabul and sending a huge plume of dust and smoke into the air.

Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief statement.

The area of the blast in eastern Kabul has many foreign compounds and international military installations. In recent weeks, suicide bombers have launched attacks on military convoys in the area and on compounds housing foreign service companies and their international employees.