KABUL (AFP) - A suicide bomber detonated his explosives near the diplomatic area of the Afghan capital on Saturday (Feb 23), killing at least one person, officials said.

"This morning a suicide bomber blew up his explosives in Shash Darak area of Kabul, killing one and wounding six others," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP.

A security source who requested not to be named said the explosion happened near a compound belonging to the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the Afghan intelligence agency.

The NDS compound is located near to the headquarters of NATO and the US embassy.

In December, a suicide attacker on foot blew himself up near the same compound, killing at least six civilians.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack in Kabul, which in recent months has become one of the deadliest places in war-torn Afghanistan for civilians.

Since mid-January, militants have stormed a luxury hotel, bombed a crowded street and raided a military compound in Kabul, killing more than 130 people.