Multiple blasts for which Taliban claimed of responsibility and gun battles left 15 Afghan policemen dead and injured 45 others including 23 civilians in Taliban birthplace Kandahar on Saturday, kandahar provincial governor said.

"In the tragic incident caused by terrorists, 15 policemen were martyred and 45 others including 22 policemen and 23 civilians sustained injuries,"Tooryali Wesa, kandahar provincial governor, told newsmen.

Among those injured there are nine school students, he said. In the clashes continued for more than four hours, local said that casualties could be higher than reported.

He also added that three suicide bombers were killed in their blasts while the fourth one was injured and captured by police.

Meantime, head of public health department in Kandahar city doctor Abdul Qayum Pukhla told newsmen that five bodies and 48 injured men had been taken to hospital in Kandahar city.

Saturday's clashes happened when some militants occupied a building close to the Police Headquarters and after carrying out a suicide blast, attacks on the police headquarters with rocket propelled grenades and small arms had begun.

Qari Yusuf Ahamdi who claims to speak for Taliban outfit in talks with media via telephone from undisclosed location claimed of responsibility, saying six suicide bombers have carried out six suicide attacks inflicting huge casualties to Afghan and NATO-led troops.

However, police have beefed up security in Kandahar city, searching to find if any insurgents have hidden there.

Kandahar has been the scene of increasing militancy over the past couple of years. A powerful blast that hit Kandahar custom department on Feb. 7 for which Taliban claimed of responsibility left two persons including an American dead and injured two others.