Photo: Reuters

Thirteen people, including seven students, died in an attack by gunmen on the American University in the Afghan capital Kabul, police say, the BBC reports.

Two attackers were also shot dead by security forces nearly 10 hours after the assault began with an explosion on Wednesday evening.

Students and staff were trapped inside the university during the attack, which police said was now over.

No group has said it carried out the attack.

The victims also included three police and three guards. Thirty-five students and nine police were injured and about 750 students and staff were rescued, Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi told the BBC.