GHAZNI: A Taliban car bomb in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday killed at least 12 people and wounded many more -- including dozens of children -- in a massive blast that came amid ongoing peace talks in Qatar, officials said

The Taliban are meeting with US negotiators and Afghan representatives in Doha as the US pushes to end its 18-year involvement in Afghanistan, but violence from the insurgents and the US military has continued apace.

Sunday's suicide car bomb attack hit the eastern city of Ghazni and targeted an intelligence unit, Ghazni provincial governor spokesman Aref Noori told AFP.

Wahidullah Mayar, a health ministry spokesman, said 12 people had been killed.

Additionally, "179 people, mostly civilians including children, were wounded", he added.

The number of wounded jumped up from an earlier toll of 70, suggesting a massive explosion.

According to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, more than 50 children were among the wounded. It said the total casualty figure was at least 150.

"UNAMA condemns the indiscriminate & disproportionate Taliban attack," the agency said on Twitter.

The blast comes less than a week after a huge explosion in Kabul also wounded about 50 children. In that case, the blast targeted a defence ministry building but also damaged five nearby schools, showering youngsters with flying glass.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for both attacks.

The seventh round of Taliban-US talks is aimed at forging a deal that would see the US military quit Afghanistan in return for various guarantees.

Both sides have reported substantial progress in the talks, which are paused Sunday and Monday while the Taliban meet with Afghan representatives for a so-called intra-Afghan dialogue. —AFP