Kabul hit by deadly bombing soon after new Taliban leader is chosen

A suicide bomber targeted a vehicle carrying court employees in Kabul during morning rush hour on Wednesday, killing 10 people, an Afghan official said. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

The bomber, who was on foot, detonated his explosives vest as he walked by the vehicle in the western part of the city, said Najib Danish, the Interior Ministry's deputy spokesman,

The casualties include both court workers and civilians and the explosion also wounded four people, Danish said.

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The vehicle belonged to the judiciary department in neighbouring Maidan Wardak province and was taking the workers there when it came under attack, he added.

Within an hour of the assault, the Taliban, who often target government employees in their war against the state, claimed responsibility for the bombing. The claim came from Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, in an email sent to the media.

The attack came as the Taliban named a new leader following Mullah Akhtar Mansour's death in a U.S. drone strike on Saturday.

The last major attack in Kabul was on April 19, when a massive bomb killed 64 people and wounded hundreds. The Taliban also claimed that bombing.