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Mr. Hagel was not in the site of the blast at the time, although the incident seemed timed to coincide with his visit and underscored how the heavily secured capital was still vulnernable to attacks by people intent on setting off bombs.

The defense ministry said that in addition to the nine people killed, fourteen others were wounded, including two Afghan National Army officers.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack at the ministry. Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman for northern and eastern Afghanistan, said the bomber was from Kandahar, and he denied that any civilians had been killed or wounded.

The Taliban have pledged repeatedly not to harm civilians, but according to the most recent United Nations report on civilian casualties the Taliban and other insurgents were responsible for 81 percent of the 2,754 civilian deaths and injuries in the Afghan conflict in 2012. 

In an initial statement, the defense ministry said the explosion, which took place near the entrance to the building, occurred at 8:54 a.m. and that only civilians were hurt.  The explosion, which was followed by heavy gunfire, occurred just as Kabul residents were going to work and streets were busy with people on foot, motorcycles and in cars.

As soon as the bomb exploded, the defense ministry locked down its  large compound so that even employees could not go out to see the damage, said a colonel in the operations department who was reached by telephone.  He said the explosion was at an area that is usually busy with  people entering and leaving the ministry compound.