<p class="title">A suicide bomber targeting a bus carrying employees of Afghanistan's biggest prison killed at least seven people on Wednesday, officials said, in the latest militant attack in the war-torn country.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Another five were wounded in the blast near the facility in Kabul, which police spokesman Basir Mujahid said had hit a vehicle that staff of Pul-e-Charkhi prison were travelling in.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The attacker was on foot, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. He struck as the bus was entering the jail in the east of the Afghan capital.</p>.<p class="bodytext">There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion, but the Islamic State group (IS) has claimed most suicide attacks in Kabul in recent months.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The attack comes days after a suicide bomber blew himself up near the entrance of Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission in Kabul, killing at least one person and wounding six.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A wave of election-related violence has killed or wounded hundreds across the country in recent months as the Taliban and IS step up attacks on Afghan security forces and government workers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Afghanistan's long-delayed parliamentary election, which was held over three days this month, was marred by chaos and deadly attacks.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Two days before voting began on October 20, a Taliban-claimed shooting killed a powerful police chief in the southern province of Kandahar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">General Abdul Raziq was among three people killed in the brazen insider attack on a high-level security meeting in the provincial capital that was attended by General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Miller escaped unhurt, but US Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley was among 13 people wounded in the shooting, which the Taliban said had targeted Miller and Raziq.</p>.<p class="bodytext">US officials and NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan were adamant that Miller had not been a target.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Several days later another Taliban-claimed assault killed a NATO soldier and wounded two others -- all from the Czech Republic -- in the western province of Herat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The attacks came amid a flurry of US-led diplomatic activity to convince the Taliban, Afghanistan's largest militant group, to negotiate an end to the 17-year war.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier this month, newly appointed US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with Taliban representatives in Qatar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Less than two weeks later a top Taliban commander held in Pakistani detention for more than eight years was freed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A senior Taliban leader told AFP the group had requested the release of Abdul Ghani Baradar and several others at the meeting with Khalilzad. </p>
<p class="title">A suicide bomber targeting a bus carrying employees of Afghanistan's biggest prison killed at least seven people on Wednesday, officials said, in the latest militant attack in the war-torn country.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Another five were wounded in the blast near the facility in Kabul, which police spokesman Basir Mujahid said had hit a vehicle that staff of Pul-e-Charkhi prison were travelling in.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The attacker was on foot, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. He struck as the bus was entering the jail in the east of the Afghan capital.</p>.<p class="bodytext">There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion, but the Islamic State group (IS) has claimed most suicide attacks in Kabul in recent months.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The attack comes days after a suicide bomber blew himself up near the entrance of Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission in Kabul, killing at least one person and wounding six.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A wave of election-related violence has killed or wounded hundreds across the country in recent months as the Taliban and IS step up attacks on Afghan security forces and government workers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Afghanistan's long-delayed parliamentary election, which was held over three days this month, was marred by chaos and deadly attacks.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Two days before voting began on October 20, a Taliban-claimed shooting killed a powerful police chief in the southern province of Kandahar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">General Abdul Raziq was among three people killed in the brazen insider attack on a high-level security meeting in the provincial capital that was attended by General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Miller escaped unhurt, but US Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley was among 13 people wounded in the shooting, which the Taliban said had targeted Miller and Raziq.</p>.<p class="bodytext">US officials and NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan were adamant that Miller had not been a target.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Several days later another Taliban-claimed assault killed a NATO soldier and wounded two others -- all from the Czech Republic -- in the western province of Herat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The attacks came amid a flurry of US-led diplomatic activity to convince the Taliban, Afghanistan's largest militant group, to negotiate an end to the 17-year war.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier this month, newly appointed US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with Taliban representatives in Qatar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Less than two weeks later a top Taliban commander held in Pakistani detention for more than eight years was freed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A senior Taliban leader told AFP the group had requested the release of Abdul Ghani Baradar and several others at the meeting with Khalilzad. </p>