The Pentagon has confirmed that a US general was shot and wounded in a Taliban attack that killed two Afghan leaders in Kandahar province this week.

Violence has increased around the Afgan elections. Army Brig Gen Jeffrey Smiley was shot, Department of Defense spokesman Cmdr Grant W Neeley said on Sunday, providing no other details.

The Washington Post reported earlier that Smiley was recovering after suffering at least one gunshot wound while inside the Kandahar governor’s compound.

The Taliban attacked a security conference also attended by the top US military commander in the country, Gen Scott Miller. He escaped injury and told an Afghan TV channel: “It was a very close confined space. But I don’t assess that I was the target.

“We will continue our support. My message to the people of Afghanistan has been very consistent: you have every right to be proud of your security forces and the preparations that made for this election despite this unfortunate event, tragic event down in Kandahar.”

The Afghans who died were Kandahar police chief Abdul Raziq and intelligence chief Abdul Momin. Governor Zalmai Weser and regional army commander Nabi Elham were wounded.

Smiley was assigned in the summer to lead a Kandahar-based command with a mission to train and advise Afghan security forces and help with counterterrorism operations in southern Afghanistan.