Three provincial police including police chief killed in bomb attack: Afghan official

"Brigadier General Sayyed Ahmad Babazai, Khost provincial police chief, his office assistant and a police officer were martyred following an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Nadar Shah Kot district at around 11:00 p.m. (local time)Thursday," Governor Mohammad Halim Fidai told Xinhua.

They were travelling along a dusty road to respond to a Taliban attack in Zain Khel locality before the police vehicle being struck by the home-made IED, the official said.

"One police officer was wounded and the police vehicle was destroyed in the explosion," the official added.

The governor blame enemies of peace, a term referring to the Taliban militant group, however, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

The Afghan security forces' casualties have risen recently as they struggle against a surge in attacks across the country.

Militants in Afghanistan have intensified their activities during last two months, even after a peace deal was signed between the United States and the Taliban in Doha and a joint declaration was issued by the U.S. side and the Afghan government in late February.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Afghanistan in mid February, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has frequently called on the Taliban to agree on a cease to facilitate peace talks and most importantly the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, but clashes continued in the conflict-ravaged nation.