KANDAHAR: A gunbattle between Afghan police and insurgents in the city of Kandahar on Wednesday killed at least four police and wounded three others, government and hospital officials said.

Kandahar provincial spokesman Zalmai Ayubi said the gunfight began at 8:30 am and was still ongoing more than an hour later, with a district police chief among those killed in the southern city.

“The 1st police district of Kandahar came under attack an hour ago by unknown gunmen. So far the police chief of 1st district has been killed and a number of other policemen are dead or injured,” said Ayubi.

A doctor at Kandahar's Mirwais hospital said it had received four dead and three wounded.

“All are policemen,” said Sardar Wali.

Local residents said the area had been sealed off by foreign forces and Afghan police since late Tuesday and shops were unable to open.