At least 10 people have been killed in two separate incidents in Afghanistan's southern Ghazni and Zabul provinces, officials say.

"Unfortunately, eight local police were killed and another one was injured," said Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, after a large number of Taliban militants attacked and overran a police checkpoint in Deh Yak district in Ghazni Province early on February 22.

Security forces also reported inflicting heavy casualties on the insurgents, but could not give precise numbers of dead and wounded.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack on Twitter, saying that militants had detained one local police officer and killed nine others.

Separately, two civilians were killed and two were wounded in a roadside bomb blast in Sewray district of Zabul Province, said Gul Islam Sial, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

On February 20, at least 26 Afghan police officers were killed and several others injured in Taliban attacks security checkpoints in Farah and Helmand provinces.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa