KABUL , Afghanistan ( CNN ) -- The number of people killed in a car bombing in Afghanistan 's capital rose to 26 , including six Italian soldiers , Afghan authorities said Saturday . The coffins of six Italian soldiers killed in a suicide attack in Kabul return to Rome . Sixteen people died in the blast Thursday , and at least 55 Afghan civilians were wounded . Ten have died from their injuries since the bombing . The explosion Thursday targeted a mostly residential area near the Supreme Court in Kabul , a witness said . The bodies of the Italian soldiers killed in the blast returned to Italy Sunday , their coffins draped in the red , green and white Italian flag . Dignitaries , relatives and row upon row of uniformed troops stood on the airport tarmac as the coffins were carried off the plane , television pictures from the scene showed . Watch more about Italy in mourning » . Italy 's President Giorgio Napolitano gently touched the caskets perched on the shoulders of grim-faced soldiers at Rome 's Ciampino military airport . Nearby , a woman shook uncontrollably as a baby sported a maroon beret -- the kind worn by the paratroopers killed in the Kabul attack . The six deaths marked largest number of Italians killed in a single day in Afghanistan . Watch more about Italy 's Afghan mission » . Before the remains left for Rome , the Italian military , international troops and dignitaries held a service in the Afghan capital . `` It 's a tragedy for us , '' Lt. Col. Renato Vaira of the Italian military said at the Kabul service . `` But this is a point to continue our mission . '' `` We 'll miss them . They 're not the first . I hope it will be the last , '' said Maj. Gen. Tommaso Ferro of the Italian military . The arrival of the soldiers ' remains was televised nationally in Italy . The bodies were taken for an autopsy . A day of mourning is scheduled in Italy on Monday , the same day as the burial service . After the attack , Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said it would be `` best '' for the country 's troops to leave Afghanistan as soon as possible . Berlusconi gave no timeline for a withdrawal , but said any pullout would have to be coordinated with allies . The 500 troops Italy sent to Afghanistan this summer will be home by Christmas , Ignazio La Russa , Italy 's defense minister said . The troops were sent ahead of the Afghan presidential election August 20 . The rest of Italy 's 2,800 troops in Afghanistan will withdraw only when NATO calls for it , La Russa said .
Explosion targeted a mostly residential area near the Supreme Court in Kabul . The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was revenge for an anti-Islam film that had been made there. Italian Prime Minister says it would be `` best '' for country 's troops to leave Afghanistan . Deaths were the highest single-day death toll for Italy in the Afghan mission .