At least 4 killed by car bomb in Afghanistan’s Lashkargah

KABUL: At least four people were killed and 20 wounded Tuesday when a suicide bomber blew up his car outside a police station in the capital of Afghanistan´s restive Helmand province, officials said.

A provincial spokesman in the southern city of Lashkargah said the attacker detonated his explosives-packed car after trying to enter a police station.

Spokesman Omar Zhwak told AFP seven people had been killed, although a doctor at a local hospital said they had only received four bodies and 20 wounded.

"The attack killed seven civilians and wounded six, including two police. All the civilians were passers-by," said Zhwak.

"The attacker tried to enter the station, but hit a police vehicle outside the station and detonated."

The bombing comes as Afghanistan has been battling a growing Taliban insurgency since Nato ended its combat mission in December after 13 years of war.

In January, at least 20 people were killed when a mortar hit a wedding party during nearby clashes between Afghan forces and insurgents.

Civilian casualties hit a new high last year in Afghanistan with about 10,000 non-combatants killed or wounded – 75 per cent of them by the Taliban – according to United Nations´ figures.