Two bomb blasts ripped through the southern Afghan city of Kandahar killing five people and injuring 31 hours after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the country, officials said.

A United Nations security source speaking on condition of anonymity said two explosive devices were set off by remote control.

City police chief Khan Mohammed blamed the violence on the ousted Taliban regime. He was only able to confirm one blast.

"Of course it is Taliban, who else can it be?" he told AFP.

"Two simultaneous explosions occurred -- one in the center of the city and one in the western part of the city. We have confirmed five dead, and 31 injured up to now," Khaled Pashtun, the city's foreign affairs director told AFP by telephone.

PHOTO CAPTION

File picture shows Afghan police in Kandahar. (AFP)