Local authorities in northern Afghanistan say a district chief in Jowzjan province was stabbed to death Saturday. 

Police have not captured the killer, but officials suspect Taliban insurgents are linked to the attack.

In other news, Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said the nation's security forces have killed three Taliban commanders and two of their bodyguards.

In a statement issued Saturday, the ministry said the clash occurred a few days ago in the southern province of Uruzgan.   

Elsewhere in the south, a suicide bombing near a crowded shrine killed two policemen on Friday.

A local police official said the attacker blew himself up next to police guarding a shrine in Kandahar province's Arghandab district.  Visitors to the shrine were celebrating the traditional new year. 

Three other police officers and a civilian were also wounded in the blast.

Another bombing reported near a shrine in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday injured four people.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.