KABUL, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led Coalition forces killed three armed Taliban militants and detained another one during a clean-up operation to disrupt the Taliban network in Ghazni province of eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, said a Coalition released here on Wednesday.

    Coalition forces targeted a known Taliban militant in Andar district, who is believed to coordinate and direct Taliban's activities in Ghazni, the statement said.

    "As the force searched the compound, the three militants, who were armed with AK-47s, hand grenades and other military equipment, attempted to engage the force," it said. "Coalition forces engaged the militants with small-arms fire, and killed them."

    It added that another suspected militant was detained without clash.

    A search of the militants and compound revealed multiple AK-47s, hand grenades and other military equipment, all of which were destroyed on the spot to prevent future use, it said.

    Taliban insurgents have yet to make comment.

    Spiraling conflicts and Taliban-linked insurgency have claimed around 5,000 people with some 2,000 civilians so far this year in strife-torn Afghanistan.