Afghan officials say a suicide bomber has struck near NATO headquarters in the capital, killing at least six people, including children, as Afghanistan marked a public holiday.

Authorities say five people were wounded in the blast Saturday in Kabul.

Officials say several Western embassies are located near the blast site.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency was the target.

The explosion came as Afghans are gathering to celebrate the 11th anniversary of the death of resistance commander Ahmad Shah Massoud.

Massoud fought Soviet troops and their allies in Afghanistan in the 1980s. He also led the Northern Alliance, a group of Afghan commanders who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s.

He was killed by Arab al-Qaida suicide bombers posing as journalists on September 9, 2001 – just two days before the September 11 attacks on the United States.

Massoud's assassination was said to be linked to the terror attacks. Some analysts say the resistance commander was deliberately killed by al-Qaida to ensure the Taliban's support after the September 11 attacks.