The British Council office in Kabul, Afghanistan, came under multiple attacks from militants Friday morning, with six reported dead.

British troops were now said to be at the site, and Afghan police have cordoned off the area.

China's Xinhua news agency said four suicide bombers and four policemen were killed. One suicide bomber reportedly exploded his vehicle while a second blew himself up.

Around 5:30 local time, the first explosion was heard in the Kartai Parwan neighbourhood, close to the Afghan vice president's house and Kabul Intercontinental Hotel, and a second explosion rocked the area 20 minutes later, followed by gun shots, AFP reported.

Two more attackers were gunned down by security forces while two others were resisting, and one Afghan policeman and four foreigners have been wounded, according to AFP.

Police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai in Kabul told Xinhua that the target of the attackers is the British Council, a UK-funded agency running mainly cultural programs.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson, claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying a group of militants equipped with car bombs, suicide vests and small arms have targeted a British guest house and caused casualties including Afghans and foreigners.

Afghanistan