KABUL, (Reuters) – Four suicide bombers blew up near  government buildings in an Afghan town yesterday, and  militants barricaded themselves inside a building with hostages  for hours until Afghan and Western troops overpowered them,  officials said.

The coordinated attacks in the southeastern town of Khost  formed one of the most brazen raids in recent months, a sign of  the violence that Taliban militants have vowed to step up as  more U.S. troops deploy to the country over the next few  months.

The suicide blasts killed at least six people — four army  soldiers and two civilians — and wounded 13, said Hamid  Padshah, a doctor from a hospital in Khost, adding the toll may  climb.

Security sources said that apart from the four bombers,  three other militants were killed when the building they were  barricaded in was stormed.