Three al-Qaeda militants killed in Afghanistan

Another three "associates" were arrested in the operation near the village of YaQubi in Khost province, which targeted an al-Qaeda member "considered a significant threat to Afghan and coalition forces", it said.

"Credible intelligence linked the targeted terrorist to remote-controlled improvised explosive device and vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks in Khost province," the coalition said in a statement.

The three "terrorists" opened fire using small arms and were killed when the Afghan and coalition forces returned fire, while the others were detained without incident, it added.