Kabul  - A suicide bomber blew himself up near a vehicle of the Afghan National Army early Friday, killing at least five Afghan soldiers in the south-eastern province of Khost, officials said.

Khaiber Pashtoon, spokesman for the Khost province governor, said the incident took place in the Haider Khail area of Ismail Khail district.

Meanwhile, US-led coalition forces in a statement Friday said three suspected militants were detained during a joint Afghan and coalition forces operation in the same province.

The arrests were made during a combined search operation in Tere Zayi district of Khost targeting Haqqani network cells that were responsible for conducting several improvised explosive device (IED) attacks in the area, said the statement. (dpa)