1st LD Writethru: 3 killed, 31 injured in S. Afghan car bombing

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and 31 others injured after a suicide car bombing struck a police checkpoint in Lashkar Gah, capital of Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand on Monday, spokesman of provincial governor said.

The incident occurred roughly at 5:30 p.m. local time after a suicide bomber detonated the vehicle near the targeted police post, locating in a crowded bazaar, spokesman Omar Zwak told Xinhua.

"One police and one civilian were killed while the bomber also died on the spot following the explosion. Among those injured people were 12 police personnel," Zwak said, adding the number of casualties may rise.

"At the time of writing, 20 wounded have been taken to our Surgical Centre in Lashkar Gah due to a car bomb explosion on the bridge towards Bolan, not far from our hospital. And mass-casualty procedures were activated," Emergency Surgical Center for Victims of War, an international charity, tweeted.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Earlier on Monday, three Islamic State militants were killed and two Afghan special force soldiers were injured after the militants attacked an intelligence agency training center in national capital of Kabul. Enditem