KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, AP -Hundreds of suspected Taliban fighters attacked a remote central Afghan town on Wednesday and occupied a district police headquarters after the battle, driving out security forces, an official said.

Elsewhere, suspected Taliban fighters fired a grenade at a police vehicle in southwestern Afghanistan, killing the Zabul Province deputy police chief, Ghulam Rasool, and wounding three policemen, officials said.

Rasool was driving through the province to warn security forces of an impending militant attack on police posts when his vehicle was hit, said a spokesman for the region, Ali Khail.

The militants took control of the police compound in the Uruzgan province town of Chora around dawn Wednesday after hours of fighting, said a senior regional official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to media.

He said no police were wounded in the battle.

In recent weeks, Afghanistan has seen some of the deadliest fighting since the ouster of the Taliban regime in late 2001. Militants have stepped up attacks, particularly in the south, drawing a fierce response from coalition and Afghan forces.

As many as 376 people, mostly militants, have been reported killed in attacks or fighting since May 17, according to coalition and Afghan statistics.