At least six killed in suicide bombing in Afghanistan

At least six civilians have been killed and 22 wounded in a suicide bombing near a school and clinic in Parwan, near Kabul, after the attacker realised that police were chasing him, officials said.

Wahid Sediqqi, a spokesperson for the governor of Parwan Province, said 26 people including three children were wounded in the blast.

Parwan's provincial police chief told Agence France Presse that the police began chasing him after they had been tipped off that he was planning an attack.

"He intended to target a police base, but when he found himself being chased by police, he detonated himself in an area close to a school and clinic," Mohammad Mamozai said, adding that there was only one policeman among the wounded.

Condemming the killing of "poor civilians," Parwan governer's spokesman said the suicide bomber's aim was to spread fear among the people but "such brutality" would never do any good for anyone.

Sediqqi also said the death toll could rise as some of the wounded are in serious condition.

No group immediately claimed responsibility but the Afghan Taliban, which is firmly entrenched in the remote area, has been blamed as it has carried out similar attacks targeting security forces in the past.

A similar attack which killed 14 people and wounded 11 was claimed by the Taliban on February 22.

Afganistan has seen a dramatic rise in Taliban attacks in the country since 2014, when NATO's combat mission ended in the country.

The Afghan government has stepped up efforts to revive peace negotiations with the Taliban after an aborted bid last summer, but the Taliban has refused to join peace talks as it demands the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan before it will sit at the negotiation table.