Kabul - A United Nations convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber in southern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistani border, killing two Afghan employees and wounding more than a dozen people, a police official said Sunday.

The bomber drove an explosive-filled vehicle into the UN convoy in Spin Boldak district of southern Kandahar province on Sunday morning, provincial police chief Matiullah Khan said.

He said two Afghan doctors riding in the convoy were killed, and three other officials and at least 12 civilian passersby were injured in the attack which took place in the main market area.

General Abdul Razaaq, border commander for police forces, said the two dead doctors were working with Afghan ministry of public health and were conducting a health survey in the area.

Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousif Ahmadi took responsibility for the attack that he said was carried out by a militant named Abdul Salam in the Zanzeer area of the district.

Ahmadi spoke with dpa via telephone from an undisclosed location.

UN spokesmen were not immediately available for comment. (dpa)