IS claims suicide bomb attack that kills 5 in Kabul

 IS militants claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack on Wednesday near the Afghan Defence Ministry that killed at least five people.

A statement by the Afghan Interior Ministry reported several more people were wounded, while a Defence Ministry spokesman said at least one civilian and two members of the Afghan security forces were among the casualties, adding that the target appeared to be a police post near military headquarters. 

IS claimed responsibility in an online post. A police officer at the scene said the attack appeared to have been carried out by a suicide bomber on foot. A Reuters witness reported seeing several damaged cars, with possible injuries to the occupants.

Last month, IS militants killed nearly 50 people when then stormed the main military hospital in Kabul. IS's offshoot in Afghanistan so-called Khorasan Province, is suspected of carrying out several attacks on minority community targets. U.S. officials say intelligence suggests IS is based overwhelmingly in Nangarhar and neighbouring Kunar province. Estimates of its strength in Afghanistan vary. U.S. officials have said they believe the movement has only 700 fighters but Afghan officials estimate it has about 1,500. The Afghan Taliban, who are trying to overthrow the U.S.-backed government in Kabul, are fiercely opposed to IS and the two have clashed as they seek to expand territory and influence.