The Afghan Interior Ministry has reported a suicide bomber has exploded his devices prematurely.

He killed himself and six of his comrades in the southern province of Helmand.

Reports say the man had attached his explosives belt and was talking to his comrades when the explosives were detonated by accident.

Also in Helmand, Taliban fighters killed nine police officers in an attack on a police post in the Nari Sarraj district.

Four Taliban fighters were killed in a gun battle near Ghazni, 200 kilometres southwest of the capital Kabul.

Seven police officers and two civilians were also injured.