At least five members of the Afghan security forces were killed after their checkpoint came under attack by insurgents in the southern province of Kandahar, according to a provincial official.

Aziz Ahmad Azizi, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said that two other policemen were wounded in Saturday’s attack in the Spin Bolduk district. He said seven Taliban insurgents were killed and six were wounded in the fighting.

Qari Yusouf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack in Kandahar.

In a separate attack in western Herat province, gunmen attacked a city police station on Saturday evening, killing five people, said Gelani Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

Mr. Farhad said that two policemen and three civilians were killed in that attack and four people were wounded. Initial findings showed that three gunmen started shooting at the entrance of the police station and one of them was killed by security forces, he added.