Kabul, March 3 (IANS): Seven people, including two security personnel and the attacker, were killed when a suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden car near a military convoy in Afghanistan's Helmand province on Tuesday, a provincial governmental spokesman said.

"A terrorist riding an explosives-laden car blew it up next to a military convoy in Sangin district at around 2 p.m. today (Tuesday) killing himself and six others, including two security personnel and four civilian passersby," Omar Zawak told Xinhua news agency.

Seven more people, including four security personnel and three civilians, sustained injuries in the attack, said the official.

Sangin district is branded as a Taliban stronghold among other regions in the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Zabul where militants remain active.

To overcome militancy and ensure law and order, the government forces launched major operations in the restive Sangin district some two months ago and since then fierce fighting has been continuing between Afghan national security forces and Taliban militants there.

Ensuring security in Sangin district would enable government forces to curb militancy in poppy growing Helmand province and the whole troubled southern region.