KANDAHAR, June 5: Suspected Taliban rebels stormed a highway police checkpost in southern Afghanistan on Monday and killed five policemen, abducted four others and stole weapons, police said.

Security officials reported meanwhile that three members of the Afghan security forces and 10 suspected Taliban were killed in separate incidents on Sunday.

The five policemen were shot dead when rebels stormed a police post on a highway near Qalat, the capital of Zabul province, a police official said.

“Taliban have kidnapped four other policemen and have stolen two vehicles, plus all weapons in the post,” the official said.

In an attack in the province on Sunday an Afghan army vehicle was hit by a roadside mine and one soldier was killed, defence ministry spokesman General Mohammad Zahir Azimi said.

A second soldier died later in hospital, another army officer said on condition of anonymity. A group of Taliban were also arrested.

In Zabul Afghan troops on a joint mission with soldiers from the US-led coalition killed around five Taliban fighters and arrested three more on Sunday, Mr Azimi said.—AFP