An explosion outside the compound of an American-run contractor rocked Kabul on Wednesday, sending up a plume of black smoke amid the sounds of gunfire as the police battled attackers said to have detonated at least one suicide bomb.

Both the Taliban and the Afghan Ministry of Interior said the attack had targeted Counterpart International, which has operated in Afghanistan since 2005, focusing on civic engagement projects, according to its website. It is heavily financed by the United States government.

There were no immediate reports of fatalities. Wahidullah Mayar, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, said five people were taken by ambulance to Kabul hospitals. Emergency Hospital in Kabul said in a Twitter post that it had received 15 injured people.

In a Twitter post, a Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Mr. Mujahid accused Counterpart International of involvement in “harmful Western activities inside Afghanistan.” He described the group as a “U.S. network” — indicating it was singled out because it is an American-led organization.

Mr. Mujahid accused Counterpart of employing “40 to 50 foreign advisers” who he claimed had worked in “various aspects of brutality, oppression, terror, anti-Islamic ideology and promotion of Western culture.”

Counterpart International, which is financed by the United States Agency for International Development, has recently monitored and helped in the Afghan election process, which is bitterly opposed by the Taliban. The militants consider Afghanistan’s elected government illegitimate.

The Taliban leadership has refused to include the government in peace talks with American negotiators. The sixth round of talks is taking place this week in Doha, Qatar.

Counterpart International and its security service, Pilgrims Group Limited, did not immediately respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment.

The attack came during Ramadan, the monthlong Islamic holiday of fasting and charitable giving. The Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, called last week for a cease-fire during Ramadan, but he was immediately rebuffed by the Taliban, which said it would continue with attacks.

Nasrat Rahimi, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said the explosion occurred at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday near the Counterpart International compound. He said security forces had rescued 80 people even as several attackers took up positions on the fourth floor of a building occupied by Counterpart.

Security forces fighting the attackers discovered a vehicle with an explosive device inside and planned to detonate it, Mr. Rahimi said.

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