Suspected Taliban militias have gunned down three persons including a parliamentary candidate in south Afghanistan, officials confirmed Saturday.

"A group of Taliban militants killed engineer Ghani, a candidate for the provincial council on Gresk-Nawzad road in Helmand province Friday night and two others on the spot," Deputy governor Hajji Mohidin told Xinhua.

Two more victims are the deceased's son and brother.

He also added that the slain Ghani failed to bag enough votes to secure a seat in the provincial council.

In the meantime, Taliban through their spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi from undisclosed locations claimed responsibility and said fighters of the hard-line ousted regime punished them for their support to government.

Taliban have claimed responsibility for the killing of over a dozen parliamentary candidates and election workers over the past six months.

Remnants of the former fundamentalist regime who failed to derail the landmark Sept. 18 legislative polls have intensified their activities since the polls.

About 1,500 rebels, Afghans and US troops as well as pro- government figures and even aid workers have been killed in Taliban-linked militancy since the beginning of this year.

Source: Xinhua