Kabul - A suicide attack against foreign forces in Kabul killed at least three civilians and wounded seven others, while Afghan army claimed on Thursday they have killed at least 30 Taliban in the western region, officials said.

The bomber, who was driving an explosive-packed vehicle, targeted a foreign military convoy in eastern part of Kabul city on Thursday morning, Alishah Paktiawal, criminal investigation chief of city police said.

He said that three civilians were killed and five others were wounded in the attack, but could not say if there were any casualties on the side of international forces.

The shrapnel from the blast made craters on the ground and shops and houses in the area. The area was also littered by mangled pieces of metal and glasses.

NATO spokesman, Major Martin O' Donnell also confirmed the incident and said that the bomber and three civilians were killed and seven other civilians were wounded.

A coalition spokesman said that four coalition soldiers were slightly wounded in the attack and two of their vehicles were damaged.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid took responsibility for the attack he said was executed by a fighter named Maulavi Zabair Ahmad.

He claimed that nine US soldiers were killed in the blast.

Mohammad Karim, a witness, said that the targeted soldiers were US forces and that he saw wounded soldiers being evacuated by other foreign forces from the area.

The attack took place on the Jalalabad Road, which frequented by the NATO and US led troops. The area houses several military camps for international forces.

Taliban militants, whose regime was toppled in a US military invasion in late 2001, rely heavily on the use of suicide attacks.

An Afghan army commander in western Afghanistan claimed government forces supported by NATO warplanes killed at least 30 Taliban militants in a fight that also claimed three Afghan troops.

The clash took place in Bala Bulok district of south-western Farah province on Wednesday when Afghan army and police conducted an operation after getting intelligence information regarding the presence of rebels in the area, army commander in western region, Jalander Shah Behnam said.

He said after losing two army soldiers and one Afghan police, the forces on the ground asked for air support, and NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) aircraft pounded the insurgents' position.

"Thirty Taliban including their commanders and foreign fighters were killed in the clash and air bombing," the army commander said.

Five Afghan security forces were also wounded during the clash, he said.

Mullah Noor Ali, Mullah Baaz Mohammad, Mullah Murad Uruzgani, Mullah Salam and Mullah Toor Helmandi, the Taliban commander were among those, who were killed in aerial bombing, defence ministry said in a statement.

ISAF spokesmen were available for comment.

In another incident, Taliban militants torched more than 20 trucks, carrying supplies for the US military forces in Paktika province on Wednesday night, Ghamai Mohammadyar, spokesman for provincial governor said.

The attack also killed a truck driver and wounded three others, Mohammadyar said, adding that Afghan and the US forces arrived at the scene and in firefight three insurgents were killed.

Violence is on the rise in Afghanistan despite the presence of around 70,000 international troops and more than 160,000 Afghan security personnel. The militancy so far this year left around 1,500 people - mostly insurgents - dead in the country. (dpa)