At least 16 people were killed and over 38 others wounded on Tuesday in a car bomb blast in the capital city of Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province on Tuesday, said officials.

The provincial governor's spokesman, Daud Ahmadi told media that a minivan packed with explosives detonated as security forces were trying to defuse it. The bombing took place in Kandahar City's Hazrat Ji Baba area that falls in the limits of PD14.

The security forces had already cleared the area around a bus station where the van was found, he added. The blast was so powerful that the majority of the casualties were passers-by outside the cleared area.

The head of the Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar, Dr Nehmat Barak confirmed that 16 dead and 38 wounded people were brought to the hospital.

"We still have two ambulances at the site because there might be more people under the rubble," said the official.

The dead included four security forces personnel while five children and 10 members of the security forces were among the wounded. Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani has praised the bravery of the intelligence and security forces for attempting to foil the bombing.

He condemned the incident and expressed his condolences with families of those who lost their lives in the incident.

No group has so far claimed responsibility of the blast. The blast occurred a day after Taliban rebels warned residents of Afghan capital city Kabul to avoid military centers in the heavily fortified city as they are planning more attacks. 

News Source: KUNA