KABUL, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Afghan police clashed with a group of Taliban militants who attacked the house of a police official in southern Afghan province of Kandahar on Saturday, leaving five militants dead and five civilians wounded, said a police official on Sunday.

    Matiwullah Khan, the provincial police chief told Xinhua that Taliban attacked the police official's house in Ghorak district early Saturday morning and police returned fire and called for reinforcement of the Afghan army.

    "Three hours' fighting left one rebel dead and four others injured while five civilians were also wounded in the fire fight," the police official said.

    "Police forces and Afghan army chased Taliban insurgents and began a clean-up operation immediately," he said, "clash left one policeman and four Taliban militants killed, two policemen wounded."

    Taliban insurgents who have staged a comeback three years ago and intensified their activities targeting interests of Afghan government and international troops, have yet to make any comments.

    Conflicts and spiraling insurgency have claimed the lives of over 4,000 people, mostly militants, so far this year.