KABUL, April 13: Four suspected bombmakers, including three foreigners, were killed in a massive blast as they unloaded explosives at a house in the eastern Afghan city of Khost, a local official said on Sunday.

An Afghan, two Pakistanis and a Yemeni were unloading explosives from a car at 7am on Saturday (2300 GMT Friday) when the blast occurred, Gen Khial Baz Khan, Khost military commander and a spokesman for provincial governor Hakeem Tanewal, told AFP by telephone.

“As soon as they entered their garage and started to unload the car it exploded, killing him and these three foreigners.”

The Afghan’s mother was in critical condition after breaking her back in the blast which also destroyed the house and killed four cows. Khan said the Afghan, known as Mulkhai, had been an intelligence officer under the former Taliban regime.

Mr Khan said security forces had also recovered weapons and explosives from the house.—AFP