Afghan police say a suicide bomber has attacked a police station in the southern city of Kandahar, killing at least one police officer.

Kandahar police chief Abdul Raziq says the attacker detonated a bomb-laden car outside the station on Monday, injuring at least four other people, both police and civilians. The blast also badly damaged a nearby civilian compound.

There was no immediate claim or responsibility for the attack, but similar bombings in the past have been blamed on the Taliban.

Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban, and despite a massive campaign by coalition and Afghan forces to increase security in the city, insurgents continue to launch attacks on government targets.

Meanwhile, three Italian soldiers died when their armored vehicle crashed into a canal in western Afghanistan, overturning as they were crossing a stream. Officials say the accident occurred in Herat province's Shindand district.