Suicide bombing in Kabul kills 7

A suicide bomber struck a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital on Sunday, killing at least seven people, officials said.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said another 35 people were wounded in Sunday's attack. General Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards.

All roads to the blast site were blocked by the police, with only ambulances allowed in.

No one immediately claimed responsibility. The Taliban and a local Islamic State affiliate both view Afghanistan's government and democratic elections as illegitimate.

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October.

Last week, three police officers responsible for guarding voter registration centres in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a district police chief in the northern Balkh province died of his wounds after being shot Saturday during a gun battle with insurgents, according to Sher Jan Durrani, spokesman for the provincial police chief in Balkh. He said around a dozen insurgents were also killed in the battle, which is still underway.

Durrani identified the slain commander as Halim Khanjar, police chief for the Char Bolak district.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing. and family members.