KHOST, Afghanistan, Feb 26 (Reuters) - A roadside bomb killed five policemen on Tuesday in Afghanistan's southeastern province of Khost, a provincial official said.

The victims included a police officer, two of his sons and two nephews who served as his body guards.

They were killed after the remote-controlled device hit their vehicle while heading for work in Sabri district of the province close to the border with Pakistan, said district chief Lutfullah Babakarkheil.

He blamed Taliban insurgents for carrying out the attack, part of rising violence in the past two years, the bloodiest since U.S.-led troops toppled Taliban's government in 2001.

More than 11,000 people have been killed since 2006, despite the presnece of more than 50,000 foreign troops led by NATO and the U.S. military, as well as 140,000 members of the Afghan security forces.

The Taliban are spearheading an insurgency backed by al Qaeda and have vowed to drive out foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan and topple its Western-backed government. (Writing by Sayed Salahuddin, editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

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