KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - At least a dozen people were killed and and around ninety were wounded on Thursday when two cars laden with explosives exploded near the entrance of the Police Headquarters in Kandfahar, in southern Afghanistan.

Sources say the attacks were carried out by the Taliban.

Immediately following the explosions, Taliban gunmen began shooting from various positions, triggering a gunfight between Taliban militants and Afghan security forces.

Baheer Ahmadi, the spokesman for the Kandahar provincial governor, confirmed that 12 people had been killed in the attacks, including nine civilians as well as 3 police officers. Eighty-nine people were wounded, he said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed to RFE/RL by telephone from an unknown location that Taliban militants carried out the attack.

Nasrat Rahimi, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior later tweeted that the security forces had put an end to the attack.

Rahimi further added that security forces had killed all the assailants.

Despite being involved in negotiations for a cease fire, Taliban militants have continued to wage attacks throughout the war-torn country, almost on a daily basis.

Afghanistan has been at war since the U.S. invasion of 2001 during which the Taliban was removed from power.

The current 18-years of war were preceded by another decade of war which commenced with the Soviet Union invasion of 1979.

(Photo credit: Khaama Press News Agency).