Kabul, Jun 25 (IANS/Xinhua): Explosions and firing occurred at the presidential palace in Kabul Tuesday morning, at around 6.30 a.m. local time (about 7.30 a.m. Indian Standard Time), and heavy gunfight continues, Xinhua reported.

Local TV channels reported at least 12 explosions in the Shash Darak area, the eastern edge of the presidential palace. The explosions came hours ahead of a meeting Afghan President Kamid Karzai was to have with journalists, and many press people were at the site at the time of the attack.

The CIA station and the Afghan ministry of defence are in the vicinity of presidential palace.

Government troops had cordoned off the area immediately after the blast, and smoke was seen rising from the site. It was not clear if the president was in the palace at the time of the attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The incident comes just days after Karzai objected to the US-backed peace talks with the Taliban.