Suicide bombing in southern Afghanistan kills 4 people

An Afghan provincial official says a suicide bomber has targeted a police checkpoint in the southern province of Helmand, killing at least four people.

The province's police chief, Nabijan Mullakhail, says that the bomber struck today afternoon at the entrance of the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, targeting a police checkpoint.

Mullakhail says the bomber detonated his explosives-laden car as he was ordered by the police to halt, killing three civilians and one policeman. The explosion also wounded six people, four policemen and two civilians.

No one immediately took responsibility for the bombing, but Helmand province has a heavy presence of Taliban insurgents. Local residents say the Taliban rule in nearly 80 percent of the province.