Security forces stand guard at the site of a a suicide attack on the Supreme Court in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017. (Massoud Hossaini/AP)

KABUL, Afghanistan — A suicide attack outside Afghanistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday killed at least 21 people and wounded more than 40 others, including children, officials said.

Kabul police said the attacker, who was on foot, detonated a suicide vest in the court’s parking lot as employees were leaving for the day. The lot is adjacent to a residential area.

“It was a mess, everything was destroyed,” said Shafiqullah Rahimi, who works nearby at the Ministry of Urban Development. “When I went outside I saw bodies in the parking lot.”

Of the 21 people killed, nine were women, Health Ministry spokesman Wahidullah Majrooh said. He said two children were among those injured.

Ismail Kawoosi, the Health Ministry’s public affairs chief, said nearly all of those injured and taken to hospital were in stable condition.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Taliban often target government employees.

“I condole with the families of the victims in today’s terrorist attack in Kabul,” Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah wrote on Twitter. “The blood of our people isn’t cheap and won’t be wasted.”

Tuesday’s blast came a day after the United Nations reported that conflict-related civilian casualties in Afghanistan hit a record 11,418 last year, a 3 percent increase over 2015.

Suicide and complex attacks were one of the leading causes of the casualties.

Earlier on Tuesday, a roadside bombing killed a top government official in western Farah province. The Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack.

Zubair Babakarkhail contributed to this report.

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