Kabul - US-led coalition forces killed six suspected militants and detained three others in an operation that targeted the Taliban network close to Kabul city, the US military said Tuesday.

The combined forces targeted militants in Sarobi district of Kabul province on Monday, the US military said in a statement. It said the militants were believed to have conducted terrorist activities in Kabul province and the north-eastern region.

"Carrying out orders from senior Taliban leaders, both in Afghanistan and abroad, the militants directed roadside bomb attacks, and moved foreign fighters and weapons into the region," the statement said.

The six militants were killed after they opened fire on the joint forces while they were searching a compound in the area, it said. During the operation, the US-led force discovered many AK-47 assault rifles and other military equipment.

Taliban militants have steadily gained power in the country over the past two years following the ouster of their regime in late 2001. The militants are said to have been operating recently in districts bordering Kabul city.

The US has announced it will send between 20,000 and 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan by the middle of next year. Some of the extra US soldiers would be stationed around the capital to protect the Western-backed government's main base from falling into the hands of Taliban-led insurgents. (dpa)