Afghan police say a car bomber has killed eight, including two policemen, in the eastern Afghan city of Khost.

Abdul-Hakim Isaqzai, the police chief in Khost province, says the powerful explosion occured Friday morning at a checkpoint inside the city.

Amir Pacha, director of hospitals in the province, says 30 other people, mostly civilians, were wounded in the blast.

The police chief says officers were suspicious of the bomber, who then detonated his car full of explosives.

Houses and shops in the area were damaged in the explosion.