At least four people were killed and another six injured after a suicide bomber targeted a convoy of security forces in Kabul early Tuesday, officials said, in the latest bloody Taliban-claimed attack in the Afghan capital.

The blast took place in Paghman district in western Kabul as the convoy was returning from an overnight operation, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP.

"It is still not clear whether the attacker was on foot or driving a vehicle," the spokesman added.

Another security official requesting anonymity said the assailant had used a car bomb to target the convoy.

Attacks on Afghan forces by the Taliban and the Islamic State group have been inflicting record-high casualties on security personnel this year.

Afghan security forces, beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO mostly left them on their own three years ago.

In November <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/two-schools-being-built-in-afghanistans-herat-after-local-mp-asks-pm-modi-for-help-182739">President Ashraf Ghani </a>said nearly 30,000 Afghan soldiers and police officers have been killed since 2015 -- a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged.

Earlier this month, Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie -- who has been nominated to lead the US military's Central Command -- said the death rate among Afghan forces will no longer be sustainable unless urgent measures are taken to address recruiting and training issues.

The early morning attack in Kabul came just hours after an overnight assault on a checkpoint in Arghistan district of southern Kandahar province by Taliban fighters killed at least eight Afghan police officers according to the provincial media office.

"The fighting lasted several hours, eleven Taliban were also killed," the office added.

The uptick in violence comes as Washington continues to press for a negotiated end to the 17-year conflict.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad -- who is currently canvassing the region to rustle up support for potential peace talks -- expressed hopes that a deal to end the war could be struck before the Afghan presidential election scheduled for April.

At least four people were killed and another six injured after a suicide bomber targeted a convoy of security forces in Kabul early Tuesday, officials said, in the latest bloody Taliban-claimed attack in the Afghan capital.

At least four people were killed and another six injured after a suicide bomber targeted a convoy of security forces in Kabul early Tuesday, officials said, in the latest bloody Taliban-claimed attack in the Afghan capital. The blast took place in Paghman district in western Kabul as the convoy was returning from an overnight operation, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP. "It is still not clear whether the attacker was on foot or driving a vehicle," the spokesman added. Another security official requesting anonymity said the assailant had used a car bomb to target the convoy. Attacks on Afghan forces by the Taliban and the Islamic State group have been inflicting record-high casualties on security personnel this year. Afghan security forces, beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO mostly left them on their own three years ago. In November President Ashraf Ghani said nearly 30,000 Afghan soldiers and police officers have been killed since 2015 -- a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged. Earlier this month, Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie -- who has been nominated to lead the US military's Central Command -- said the death rate among Afghan forces will no longer be sustainable unless urgent measures are taken to address recruiting and training issues. The early morning attack in Kabul came just hours after an overnight assault on a checkpoint in Arghistan district of southern Kandahar province by Taliban fighters killed at least eight Afghan police officers according to the provincial media office. "The fighting lasted several hours, eleven Taliban were also killed," the office added. The uptick in violence comes as Washington continues to press for a negotiated end to the 17-year conflict. US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad -- who is currently canvassing the region to rustle up support for potential peace talks -- expressed hopes that a deal to end the war could be struck before the Afghan presidential election scheduled for April.

At least 4 dead, 6 wounded in attack on Afghan intelligence service

A suicide bomber struck Kabul Monday morning close to the country&#39;s national intelligence agency -- the National Directorate for Security.&nbsp;

Officials said six people were dead and three wounded.&nbsp;

&quot;Six people were martyred and three others were wounded,&quot; AFP reported interior ministry spokesperson Najib Danish as saying.&nbsp;

The attacker struck as&nbsp;NDS employees were arriving at work.&nbsp;

AFP quoted Danish as saying the six people who died had been in a car when the attacker struck.&nbsp;

&quot;They were hit when they were passing the area in their Toyota sedan vehicle,&quot; Danish said.&nbsp;

He added that the attack had taken place on the main road, not inside the NDS compound, and that authorities were still not certain what the attacker&#39;s intended target had been.&nbsp;

There has as yet been no claim of responsibility for the attack.&nbsp;

Islamic State had however&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/militants-storm-kabul-spy-training-centre-27065" target="_blank">claimed</a> the attack a week ago on an NDS&nbsp;training facility in Kabul. &nbsp;

(This is a developing story)

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Officials added that three people had been wounded

A suicide bomber struck Kabul Monday morning close to the country's national intelligence agency -- the National Directorate for Security. Officials said six people were dead and three wounded. "Six people were martyred and three others were wounded," AFP reported interior ministry spokesperson Najib Danish as saying. The attacker struck as NDS employees were arriving at work. AFP quoted Danish as saying the six people who died had been in a car when the attacker struck. "They were hit when they were passing the area in their Toyota sedan vehicle," Danish said. He added that the attack had taken place on the main road, not inside the NDS compound, and that authorities were still not certain what the attacker's intended target had been. There has as yet been no claim of responsibility for the attack. Islamic State had however claimed the attack a week ago on an NDS training facility in Kabul. (This is a developing story)

6 dead after suicide bombing in Kabul near country's national intelligence agency

The Afghan parliament approved President Ashraf Ghani&#39;s choices for defence minister and intelligence chief today, ensuring continuity in command at time when the Taliban insurgency has intensified and more US troops are preparing to go home. 
 
Parliament approved General Abdullah Khan Habibi as new defence minister, to replace Masoom Stanekzai, who will now head Afghanistan&#39;s intelligence agency, the National Directorate for Security (NDS). 
 
Their confirmation comes ahead of a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit next month in Warsaw, where Afghanistan and the future role of international coalition forces are expected to be a major issue. 
 
&quot;There is ongoing fighting in almost 20 provinces of the country and the fighting strategy cannot be administrated by caretakers,&quot; Farhad Sediqi, a member of parliament from Kabul, said as the lawmakers gave their assent to Ghani&#39;s choices . 
 
The president had nominated Habibi and Stanekzai a little over a month ago, and the speed of their confirmation stood in contrast to the factional wrangling that followed Stanekzai&#39;s nomination as defence minister in the wake of the 2014 election. 
 
At that time, lawmakers failed to confirm his appointment for well over a year, as rival factions vied for greater influence in the unity government formed by Ghani and government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah after the disputed election. 
 
The risky situation in Afghanistan has forced US President Barack Obama to consider altering plans to halve the 9,800-strong US force in the country by the start of next year. 
 
The Taliban, which now controls more territory than at any time since it was driven from power by US-led forces in 2001, has also stepped up its annual spring offensive. 
 
The threat to Afghanistan&#39;s security was underlined today by a series of attacks in Kabul and the northern province of Badakhshan in which more than 20 people were killed. 
 
Afghan security forces have succeeded in pushing the insurgents back from the northern city of Kunduz, which fell briefly last year, but they have faced heavy pressure in southern regions including the strategic province of Helmand. 
(Reuters)

The move ensures continuity in a time when the country's security is being undermined by Taliban attacks

The Afghan parliament approved President Ashraf Ghani's choices for defence minister and intelligence chief today, ensuring continuity in command at time when the Taliban insurgency has intensified and more US troops are preparing to go home. Parliament approved General Abdullah Khan Habibi as new defence minister, to replace Masoom Stanekzai, who will now head Afghanistan's intelligence agency, the National Directorate for Security (NDS). Their confirmation comes ahead of a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit next month in Warsaw, where Afghanistan and the future role of international coalition forces are expected to be a major issue. "There is ongoing fighting in almost 20 provinces of the country and the fighting strategy cannot be administrated by caretakers," Farhad Sediqi, a member of parliament from Kabul, said as the lawmakers gave their assent to Ghani's choices . The president had nominated Habibi and Stanekzai a little over a month ago, and the speed of their confirmation stood in contrast to the factional wrangling that followed Stanekzai's nomination as defence minister in the wake of the 2014 election. At that time, lawmakers failed to confirm his appointment for well over a year, as rival factions vied for greater influence in the unity government formed by Ghani and government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah after the disputed election. The risky situation in Afghanistan has forced US President Barack Obama to consider altering plans to halve the 9,800-strong US force in the country by the start of next year. The Taliban, which now controls more territory than at any time since it was driven from power by US-led forces in 2001, has also stepped up its annual spring offensive. The threat to Afghanistan's security was underlined today by a series of attacks in Kabul and the northern province of Badakhshan in which more than 20 people were killed. Afghan security forces have succeeded in pushing the insurgents back from the northern city of Kunduz, which fell briefly last year, but they have faced heavy pressure in southern regions including the strategic province of Helmand. (Reuters)

Afghan parliament approves President's choices for defence and intelligence chiefs ahead of NATO summit