Three policemen were killed by Taliban militants in the eastern Khost province of Afghanistan Saturday, a police officer told Xinhua on Sunday.

The militants attacked a police checkpoint in Babrak Tana area bordering Pakistan on Saturday night, killing three policemen and injuring two others, said Ziarat Gual Mangal, the deputy provincial police chief.

At least one Taliban insurgent was also killed in the clash, he added.

Khost, a mountainous region, has been a hotbed of Taliban rebels, who attack government and foreign targets frequently.

Due to rising Taliban-linked violence this year, Afghanistan has plunged into the worst spate of bloodshed since the Taliban regime was toppled nearly five years ago.

Over 2,400 people, mostly Taliban militants, have been killed in this volatile country this year.

Source: Xinhua