Taliban revenge suicide bomb kills 11 in Kabul
On the day that the Taliban announced its new leader, a suicide bomber targeted the capital, Kabul, killing 11 people and injuring an unspecified number. The attacker detonated his explosives next to a bus carrying judiciary department employees during the morning rush hour. This is the second attack on the country’s judiciary in less than a month, and according to a statement from the group “was carried out as revenge for the killing of six innocent prisoners in Kabul.” This refers to the execution of six convicted members of the Taliban who were found guilty of planning and committing terrorist acts.

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Eleven people were killed when a Taliban suicide bomber targeted rush hour traffic in Kabul today, including a bus full of judiciary department employees.

The minibus was hit as the bomber approached it in the western outskirts of the Afghan capital at around 8.30am, detonating an explosives vest.

The vehicle was on its way to the local courthouse in Maidan Wardak province, where the staff worked, when the terrorist struck in the district of Bagh-e-Dawood.

A spokesman for the Interior Ministry confirmed that a further four civilians had suffered critical injuries in the blast.

A minibus full of judiciary department employees was caught in the bomb blast (Getty Images)

The attack came mere hours after the Taliban publicly named Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader following the death of Mullah Mansour in a US drone strike in Pakistan.

In a statement released to Afghan media the Taliban said: "This attack was carried out as revenge for the killing of six innocent prisoners in Kabul."

Earlier this month May six convicted members of the group were hung at a Kabul prison for planning and committing terrorist acts.

The attack was the second of its kind against the judiciary in the city in the space of a month: a judge was killed by gunmen in the city a fortnight ago.

Taliban attacks Kabul security compound - in pictures Show all 7 1 / 7 Taliban attacks Kabul security compound - in pictures Taliban attacks Kabul security compound - in pictures Kabul attack An relative of one of the victims who was killed in a suicide bomb blast in Kabul, Afghanistan, 19 April 2016. (EPA) EPA Taliban attacks Kabul security compound - in pictures Kabul attack An injured girl is carried to safety following the blast in Kabul (EPA) EPA Taliban attacks Kabul security compound - in pictures Kabul attack A man stands inside his damaged shop near the scene of a bomb blast in Kabul, Afghanistan, 19 April 2016 (EPA) EPA Taliban attacks Kabul security compound - in pictures Kabul attack Afghan quick reaction forces arrive at the site of a suicide car bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan April 19, 2016 (Reuters) Reuters Taliban attacks Kabul security compound - in pictures Kabul attack Afghan security forces carry an injured security personnel after a suicide car bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan April 19, 2016. (Reuters) Reuters Taliban attacks Kabul security compound - in pictures Kabul attack Afghan security forces inspect the site of a Taliban-claimed attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, April 19, 2016. (AP) AP Taliban attacks Kabul security compound - in pictures Kabul attack Relatives and loved ones carry the coffin of a victim killed in the April 19 Taliban truck bomb attack, at a funeral in Kabul on April 20, 2016. (AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images

The UN mission in Afghanistan was quick to condemn the brutality of the attack.

According to a UN report, around 600 civilians have been killed in Taliban-led attacks in the country since the start of the year.

The most recent major suicide blast in Kabul left 64 dead and wounded hundreds injured on April 19, an attack also claimed by Taliban fighters.