KANDAHAR, April 29: Three Afghan policemen were killed, while security forces shot dead two Taliban rebels in separate incidents on Saturday in southern Helmand province, officials said.

A rocket hit a police patrol killing three police and injuring another in the province’s Baghran district, interior ministry spokesman Yousuf Stanizai said.

“Three police were killed and one was wounded after their patrol came under a sudden rocket attack in Baghran district,” he said. The assailants fled the area after the rocket attack.

In the other incident Afghan security forces killed two Taliban rebels in Helmand’s Kajaki district, Rahmatullah Raufi, army commander for the southern military corps.

One Afghan national army soldier and one policeman were injured in the hour-long clash with rebels.

“One police and one soldier were wounded today and two Taliban dead bodies were left on the site,” Raufi said. Police also seized one PK machine gun and three AK-47 rifles, he said.—AFP