A suicide bomber detonated his explosives and two other attackers were shot dead, a government official said.

A spokesman for the Taliban said the Islamist rebels claimed responsibility for the attacks, carried out close to a shopping centre and a hotel.

Earlier, Taliban bombers and gunmen attacked government targets and shopping malls in Kabul, killing 12 people.

Kabul has been the target of sometimes deadly insurgent attacks, but has been relatively quiet for the past month.

The violence came as Nato and Afghan forces continue Operation Moshtarak, driving Taliban fighters from their strongholds in Helmand province, in the south of Afghanistan.