Kabul - At least eight Afghan police were killed in a Taliban insurgent attack on a check post in southern Kandahar province, while a coalition service member died and three rebels were arrested for weapons smuggling in Helmand province, officials said Friday. 

Mateuallah Khan, police chief of Kandahar province said the militants attacked police in Kandahra's Panjwayi district late night killing at least eight officers and injuring another. 

Taliban militants increased their attacks on Afghan and international troops in recent weeks especially in southern and south-eastern provinces. 

A statement released from US military base in Bagram said: "A coalition service member died here today from a non-combat injury." 

The US military said in another statement that three rebels were detained Thursday during a coalition operation in in Baghram Chah District of Helmand province. 

"The network is also involved in the smuggling of weapons, including machine guns and rockets," it said. 

Several weapons caches were discovered and destroyed to prevent future militant use, it added. (dpa)