"The blast, a car bomb apparently, targeted security forces on a road in Ismael Khil district this afternoon, injuring nine persons including five children," said district governor Wali Shah Humat.

He also added that four others who sustained injuries in the blast are local guards providing escort to foreign troops. However, he did not give more information.

Meantime, he said there were no casualties on NATO-led troops.

A Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility and in talks with media via telephone from an undisclosed location stressed eight soldiers were killed in the blast; but district governor Humat rejected the claim, saying there were no casualties on foreign troops.

An attack on a post of local police force in Musa Khil district of the same province Khost on October 8 left six policemen dead and the incident triggered a demonstration which ended peacefully.