KABUL, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led Coalition forces have detained three militants during two operations in eastern Afghan province of Khost, the Coalition said Friday.

    During a joint search operation targeting a Haqqani network militant, known to finance and facilitate attacks, on Thursday, Afghan and Coalition forces detained the targeted person and an associated suspect, the U.S.-led military said in a statement.

    Furthermore, the Coalition Thursday identified and detained a targeted militant who came from Nadar Shah Kot district.

    "The militant is suspected of being a Haqqani network extremist who has conducted IED (improvised explosive device), weapons facilitation operations and attacks against Coalition forces," the military said in another statement issued on Friday.

    An around 20,000 multi-national forces under the flag of the U.S.-led Coalition forces are deployed in Afghanistan, mostly in threstive eastern regions, fighting militants.