Kabul - Seven policemen were killed and at least one was missing in a Taliban ambush in southern Afghanistan, a local police official said Sunday.

The police were patrolling in Godal area of Zena Khan district in southern Ghazni province on Saturday evening, when their vehicle came under fire by Taliban militants, Mohammad Zaman, deputy provincial police chief, said.

"Seven police forces including the acting police chief of the district were killed in the attack," Zaman said.

Taliban militants said in a statement posted at their website that the police vehicle was blown up by a remote-control roadside bomb and then their fighters opened fire on the survivors.

The rebel statement also said two policemen were captured after the clash.

Zaman confirmed that one of the policemen in the patrol was missing.

The poorly trained and equipped Afghan police forces, who unlike the Afghan army or international forces are present in the most remote areas of the country, bear the brunt of Taliban attacks in Afghanistan.

More than 900 policemen were killed in Taliban attacks in 2007, according to figures from the interior ministry. (dpa)