KABUL, Nov. 13 -- A large explosion ripped through a busy road in Qasaba neighborhood of Afghan capital of Kabul during morning rush hour on Wednesday, leaving casualties and destruction, an Interior Ministry official said.

"The blast occurred roughly at 7:25 a.m. local time in Sarak-e-Qasim locality of Qasaba in Police District 15. Initial information found seven civilians were martyred and seven others wounded," spokesman of the ministry Nasrat Rahimi wrote on twitter, adding that the number of casualties may change.

A thick gray smoke was seen rise above the site. Nearby buildings, a couple of shops and vehicles were damaged in the powerful blast.

"The nature of the blast was a suicide car bombing, targeting an armored jeep running along the road at the back side of interior ministry," witness Abdul Shah told Xinhua.

He said the likely target of the attack was the jeep carrying a ranking official.

Security forces have cordoned off the area for precautionary measures.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.