Khost: At least nine Afghan civilians were killed when a suicide bomber rammed a car into the gate of a foreign military base in the southeast Afghan province of Khost on Monday, the provincial governor said.

"The victims were all poor labourers and civilians. This was a barbaric act carried out by the enemies of Afghanistan at a time of celebration of independence," the governor said referring Monday’s anniversary of Afghan independence.

Two other bombers were shot dead by police before they were able to detonate explosives in another car as police tended to victims of the first attack.