Suicide bomber outside Kabul court, near U.S. Embassy, kills 17

A suicide bomber who detonated outside the Supreme Court in Kabul on Tuesday killed at least 17 and left 39 wounded, police in Afghanistan said.

The attack was the second to hit Kabul in two days — and is the deadliest in 18 months, BBC reported.Monday, seven Taliban militants launched an attack at the city’s airport.

Tuesday’s attack began when the bomber drove a car packed with explosives into buses that carried court official, including judges, police said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility, BBC reported.

The court is only a few hundred feet from the U.S. Embassy, and a short distance from NATO headquarters. Portions of the city reserved as diplomatic space have been cordoned off, BBC said.

The attack was timed to coincide with Kabul’s evening rush hour, BBC said.