AKIPRESS.COM - At least six Afghan soldiers have been killed by a suicide bomber on the outskirts of the capital Kabul, police and officials say.

They said that the bomber was on foot and targeted a bus carrying the troops.

The Taliban say that they carried out the attack, the first by them in the capital for more than a week.

Kabul's police chief resigned at the end of last month following a surge in attacks by Afghan militants on foreigners in the city.

President Ashraf Ghani, who took power in September, has vowed to bring peace after decades of conflict.

But Kabul has been regularly subjected to Taliban bombings, with the military, police and government officials all targeted.

The Taliban have stepped up attacks in Afghanistan as most foreign combat troops prepare to leave the country later this month.

As part of the agreement on the withdrawal of foreign combat troops, some 12,000 Nato soldiers will remain to train and advise Afghan security forces from 1 January.

A separate US-led force will assist Afghan troops in some operations against the Taliban, reports BBC.