A district chief along with two of his bodyguards was killed and three others sustained injuries in Helmand province, 555 km south of Kabul on Wednesday as a roadside bomb struck their vehicle, an official said.

"The tragic incident happened at 01:00 a.m. local time today on a road in Khanshin district killing Mohammad Masoud, the governor of Khanshin district, along with two of his bodyguards on the spot," spokesman for the provincial administration Daud Ahmadi told Xinhua.

Three more of his bodyguards were injured in the blast, he added.

He also put the attack on the enemies of peace, a term used against Taliban militants by officials. However, the outfit fighting Afghan and NATO-led troops have yet to make comment.