Nine insurgents were killed Wednesday as they came under air attacks in Afghanistan's eastern Khost province, provincial police spokesman Wazir Badshah said.

"A group of insurgents attempted to target the employees of a road construction company in Alishir district this morning. Fortunately, police identified the militants, contacted international troops and carried out air raids, killing nine rebels on the spot," Badshah told Xinhua.

Taliban militants fighting Afghan and international troops based in Afghanistan sent several suicide bombers to target US military based in Khost, killing nine Afghans and wounding another 13 on Monday while another nine suicide bombers attempting to launch a second attack were identified and killed on Tuesday.

Taliban insurgents, who staged a violent comeback three years ago, intensified their activities across Afghanistan over the past weeks to mount pressure on the government despite around 70,000 foreign troops stationed in the war-torn country vowing to keep peace and help reconstruction here.

Conflicts and spiraling insurgency have claimed the lives of over 3,000 people so far this year.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2008)