Eight Afghan policemen were killed in an insurgent attack on their checkpoint in the country's south.

Local officials say the attack occurred early Wednesday morning near Lashkar Gah in Helmand province.

Officials say three other policemen were wounded and another policeman, who was a part of the group of attacked officers, was also missing.

On Tuesday, a suicide bombing outside of a police station in the area killed at least two people, and wounded several police officers.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack.

Lashkar Gah was one of seven areas where control of security passed from foreign to Afghan forces in July, as part of the first wave of a transitional process that is due to have all foreign combat forces leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

In other violence, a New Zealand special forces soldier was shot and killed during a gunbattle with insurgents near the capital, Kabul Wednesday.

New Zealand officials say the attack occurred in Wardak province where the special forces team was assisting a group of Afghan police.

The soldier is the second member of the country's special forces unit to be killed in Afghanistan this year.