Insurgent dead in Afghan firefight

• U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan

• U.S. general: Taliban recruiting children

• Special Report: Enduring Freedom casualties

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(CNN) -- The coalition command in Afghanistan on Sunday reported the killing of an "enemy combatant" near Qalat and the foiling of a suicide bombing attempt at a U.S. base near the Pakistani border.

The incidents, reported by the Coalition Press Information Center in Kabul, took place Saturday.

Coalition and Afghan forces have been fighting the Taliban and other militant forces, particularly along the Afghan-Pakistani border since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan nearly four years ago toppled the Taliban government, which harbored the al Qaeda terror network.

Military officials hope to bolster security next month for the country's assembly elections in the face of the persistent Afghan insurgency.

CPIC said an Afghan National Police officer also had been wounded in the firefight near the southern Afghan city of Qalat when insurgents ambushed a police patrol.

"The patrol led a search of the area, assisted by U.S. patrols, but were unable to locate the attackers. The U.S. units were in the area conducting operations designed to deny sanctuary and freedom of movement to enemy forces," CPIC said.

Qalat is in Zabul province.

Authorities on Saturday detained a suspected suicide bomber at a U.S. base near the Pakistani border.

"The potential bomber attempted to enter a U.S. facility in the region under the guise of needing medical attention. At the gate he produced a grenade and attempted to detonate the device. The grenade failed to detonate and the man was apprehended by security forces."

Authorities said said he had another grenade and two anti-personnel mines attached to his body.

In another incident, coalition and local forces found and destroyed three roadside bombs on Friday and Saturday.

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