Two civilians were killed and 26 others injured on Tuesday morning when a suicide car bomb went off in Lashkar Gah, the capital of southern Helmand province, an official said.

"I do confirm that it was a suicide car bomb attack happened next to police department in the morning rush hour in Lashkar Gah city, killing two civilians and injuring 26 others," spokesman for provincial administration Daud Ahmadi told Xinhua.

He said the suicide bomber has also been killed in the attack.

A total of 10 policemen were among the injured people, Ahmadi added.

The death toll could rise, as many injured remain in critical conditions, a doctor in provincial capital hospital told Xinhua.

Taliban militants claimed responsibility of the attack.

Qari Yousuf Ahmandi, who claims to speak for the Taliban in talks with local media via cell phone from undisclosed location, said an insurgent's fighter carried out the suicide attack against police in Lashkar Gah, killing over a dozen policemen.

The Afghan security forces took full control of Lashkar Gah on July this year from the NATO-led coalition forces.

The Afghan forces took security responsibility of seven areas including three provinces in July this year as parts of security transition which will run to 2014 when Afghanistan will take over the full leadership of its own security duties from the U.S. and NATO forces.