Kabul, Jun 10 (IANS): Three Afghan soldiers and an assailant were killed on Thursday in a suicide car bombing in Baghlan province, a local army source confirmed.

The assailant tried to carry out a car bombing against an army base in Bagh-e-Shamal locality of provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri city early Thursday, Abdul Hadi Nazari from the army's 217th Pamir Corps told Xinhua news agency.

"When the soldiers manning the base opened fired, the vehicle exploded, resulting in the killing of the terrorist aboard the vehicle and martyrdom of three soldiers," he said.

The militants failed to cause massive damage to the base after the soldiers in the first gate of the camp responded to the attacker, he said.

Since the official withdrawal of the US and other NATO troops in Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban have intensified attacks on provincial capitals, districts, bases and checkpoints.

Tens of thousands of Afghans have been displaced in the past few weeks.

The withdrawal of international troops is due to be completed by September 11 at the latest.