Six police personnel have been killed in an insider attack in Afghanistan's southern province of Uruzgan, a local official said on Saturday.

"Three Afghan National Police (ANP) turned their guns against their colleagues in a security checkpoint, killing six ANP members late Friday," the official told Xinhua anonymously.

The attack occurred in Saghar locality of Charchino district. The attackers fled the scene shortly after the shooting and took weapons with them, the official said.

The Afghan security forces' casualties have risen recently as they struggle against a surge in attacks by Taliban militant group and other anti-government fighters.

On Wednesday, 10 policemen were shot dead in similar attacks in Uruzgan and the neighboring Zabul province.

Dust Mohammad Nayab, a provincial government spokesman, confirmed the incident.

"The provincial government has been aware of the incident. An investigation has been launched into the incident and details will be released afterwards," Nayab told Xinhua.

More than 40 police members have been killed in the insider attacks in southern Afghanistan since the beginning of this year while military officials have said most of the insider attacks were in some way related to the Taliban-led insurgency.

Source: XINHUA