Two suicide bombers killed two children and wounded six others Monday (July 9th), when their explosive vests detonated prematurely as they went to attack police, AFP reported.

The three bombers were on a motorcycle when their explosives went off in southern Kandahar city, killing and wounding children playing nearby, provincial spokesman Jawed Faisal told AFP.

Shortly afterwards a group of gunmen launched an attack on police headquarters in Kandahar.

"Probably the three bombers who blew up and killed children were going to join the attack," Faisal said.

The children were aged between eight and twelve and were playing at the time of the explosion, he said.

The attack on the police headquarters continued for around an hour after at least three gunmen took over a nearby school and fired on police, officials said.

Six people, including two policemen, were wounded before all three attackers were killed, provincial police chief General Abdul Raziq told AFP.

"Police handled the situation professionally. All three attackers were killed. Unfortunately six, including two police, were wounded," he said.