Security forces had killed 23 suicide attackers and detained four others in retaliation against Taliban insurgents in southern Kandahar province on Saturday, Interior Ministry spokesman Zamarai Bashari said Sunday.

"Twenty three suicide bombers had been killed and four others made captive by security forces after militants' attacks in Kandahar on Saturday," Bashari told newsmen at a press conference.

The arrested suicide bombers are among the inmates who escaped from Kandahar prison on April 25.

Taliban militants after excavating a 320-meter long tunnel into Kandahar jail facilitated over 500 inmates to escape last month.

He also added that two security personnel were killed and 15 civilians and 25 security personnel were injured in the gun battle which lasted for a few hours.

The Taliban insurgents fighting Afghan and NATO-led troops, in a surprise move stormed several government departments including Governor House, Municipality, police and intelligence departments Saturday afternoon.

Taliban outfit in a statement released to media claimed that 116 security personnel and government employees had been killed and injured in attacks on Kandahar city Saturday.

Commenting on casualties over the past week, Bashari said that 30 policemen, 23 civilians and 182 insurgents had been killed from May 1 until May 7.

He also noted that 182 militants had been detained over the mentioned period.