Afghan President Hamid Karzai right along with Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak, during Independence Day celebration in Kabul, 18 Aug 2008

A suicide car bombing has killed 10 people and wounded at least 13 others in eastern Afghanistan, as the country observes its Independence Day.

U.S. and Afghan officials say the bomber detonated his explosives outside a U.S. military base in the eastern province of Khost Monday. Officials say the blast did not penetrate the base.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the blast.

The governor of Khost province, Arsala Jamal, says the victims from the attack were Afghan laborers.  He says a second attacker approached authorities shortly after the blast, but was shot dead before detonating his explosives.

The attack comes as more than 7,000 police officers patrol the capital, Kabul, in efforts to maintain security for today's Independence Day events.

President Hamid Karzai, who attended a small Independence Day ceremony in Kabul today, said the bombing shows terrorists are against the freedom of the Afghan people.

U.S. officials today warned Afghans celebrating the country's Independence Day that militants were planning to launch attacks. 

United Nations employees in Kabul were ordered to work from home today as a security precaution.

Afghanistan gained full independence from Britain in 1919.

In other violence, NATO officials say an explosion killed a British soldier on patrol in southern Afghanistan today.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.