The U.S. coalition troops arrested three men in an operation searching terrorists on Sunday in Khost province of eastern Afghanistan, a coalition statement said.

The forces detained the three men in the morning in a compound near Khost city, the provincial capital, it said.

"Coalition forces, acting on credible information, entered the compound in search of members of a terrorist network operating in Khost province," it added.

A peaceful surrender of the persons within the compound was requested and no shots were fired, the statement said, adding the safety of the Afghan women and children inside was ensured.

Khost, a mountainous region, has been a stronghold of Taliban and other militants, who attack government and foreign troops frequently.

About 10,000 coalition soldiers, the bulk of which are Americans, are deployed in Afghanistan, mainly in eastern provinces, to hunt down insurgents there.

Source: Xinhua