About 60-70 people arrived to steal fuel leaking from the tanker after a magnetised bomb blew a hole in it, a spokesman for Parwan province said.

The tanker then burst into flames in a second explosion.

Parwan province Governor, Basir Salangi, said it was a "terrorist attack" and the aim had been to blow up the tanker at Bagram air base.

Bagram is the largest base for American forces in Afghanistan.

The deaths and injuries were caused by "a huge explosion followed by intense fire," he said.

Health officials say the number of people killed could rise, as most of the injured are in a critical condition.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing.