Suicide bomber kills six police at Afghan ministry ahead of vote --- (Reuters) - A Taliban suicide bomber blew himself outside Afghanistan's interior ministry in central Kabul on Wednesday, killing himself and at least six policemen, the latest in a string of attacks ahead of Afghanistan's April 5 presidential election. -- Taliban insurgents also killed nine civilians including a provincial council candidate in northern Afghanistan, local officials said. -- The Islamist Taliban have promised to do everything in their power to disrupt the April 5 vote when Afghans elect a successor to the incumbent president, Hamid Karzai, who is barred by the constitution from running again. -- The Kabul attack came on the last day of campaigning for an election that is intended to mark the first democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan's history. -- "A suicide bomber wearing a military uniform ... detonated his explosives at the main gate of the interior ministry," the ministry said in a statement. -- "As soon as the bomber saw some policemen he detonated his explosives. It was impossible for him to enter the facility with the suicide vest," a ministry spokesman added. -- The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in an e-mail, saying the bomber had penetrated a third ring of security at the ministry before setting off the blast. -- The Taliban have stepped up the pace of attacks in the run-up to the vote, targeting those organizing the election and foreigners, but campaign rallies have been largely undisturbed. --- Global powers are closely watching the election which comes at a crucial time in Afghanistan as most foreign troops prepare to pull out. - More, at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/02/us-afghanistan-blast-idUSBREA310P520140402