Militants Storm Kandahar Police Station, Kill Commander

Militants have stormed a police station in Afghanistan's volatile southern Kandahar city, killing the commander of the station and sparking an ongoing gun battle.

Zalmay Ayoubi, spokesman for the provincial governor, said there had been police casualties, but did not immediately have any further details.

The violence is the latest in a series of attacks against security forces in Kandahar and neighboring Helmand province as Afghan troops prepared to take over security operations in Helmand's capital -- Lashkar Gah -- on July 20.

Last week, the head of Kandahar's provincial council and the half-brother of Afghan President Karzai was shot dead at his home by a trusted body guard.

compiled from agency reports