NATO also said it captured an insurgent commander linked to attacks on Afghan officials and violence during last weekend's parliamentary elections, and killed another.

In a statement Saturday, NATO said two service members were killed by a bomb blast in the east, but did not provide further details. It said another died in a separate blast in the south. The nationalities of NATO casualties are not generally released until after next of kin are notified.

This year is already the deadliest of the war, with 531 members of international forces killed as of Saturday.

Also in the east, more than 30 insurgents were killed during an operation involving a combined force of about 250 Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police, and coalition soldiers in Alishing district of Laghman province. No civilians were harmed during the operation, NATO said.