Kabul, Feb 21 (IANS): Five people were killed in a car bomb attack on a district police station and ensuing gunfight between Taliban militants and policemen in a suburban area of Afghanistan's capital Kabul Friday morning, police said.

"Three of the station policemen were injured and a bystander police officer of the interior ministry who was waiting for the vehicle near the compound was martyred as a result of the powerful car bombing," Xinhua quoted Kabul police chief Mohammad Zahir as telling the media.

The attack took place around 6.15 a.m. in Surobi district of the Kabul province.

Three militants were killed by the security forces during the gun battle lasting for more than an hour while one attacker was killed in the blast nearly 50 km east of Kabul, the police chief added.

The Taliban insurgent group claimed responsibility for the attack shortly after the incident.

The war-torn country is due to take over the responsibility for its own security from foreign troops by the end of the year.

Over 57,000 NATO-led foreign troops, down from the peak of 130,000 in 2010, are currently deployed in Afghanistan.