The explosion took place near the police headquarters in Maiwand district of the province at around 8 p.m. on Sunday, TOLO News quoted the officials as saying.

No group, including the Taliban, has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

The development comes as Kandahar has witnessed intensified clashes between Afghan security forces and the Taliban, resulting in the displacement of a “large number” of its residents.

Kandahar’s neighbouring province, Helmand, is also witnessing clashes between government forces and the Taliban over the last few weeks, TOLO News reported.

A report released on November 7 has claimed that Taliban violence in Afghanistan has increased by 50 per cent in the past three months as the peace talks in Doha were at an impasse.

Quoting Gen. Scott Miller, the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, the report said that the continued violence has posed serious threats to the Afghan peace process.

Agencies