KABUL, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. and Afghan troops in their joint operation against militants in the southeast Khost province arrested three al-Qaida suspects on Tuesday, a press release of the U.S.-led coalition forces said.

    "The purpose of this operation was to capture a known al-Qaida facilitator. Three suspects were taken into custody," it said. It was a pre-dawn raid on a compound housing suspected terrorists near Paru Kheyl village in Khost province, the press release said.

    "This joint operation will continue to target the al-Qaida network and remove their means of support in order to extend the reach of the government and ultimately improve the lives of the Afghan people," it added.

    Personnel of law enforcing agencies have captured around one dozen people in charge of having link with Taliban and al-Qaida networks in the Khost province bordering Pakistan over the past month. Enditem