Seven Taliban militants were killed as their explosive device went off prematurely in the eastern Nangarhar province on Friday night, Interior Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

"Seven Taliban terrorists were busy in making mines inside a mosque in Shirzad district of the eastern Nangarhar province last night to plant on the roads and target security personnel but their device exploded accidentally killing all the seven on the spot," the statement released here added.

Taliban militants fighting the government and largely relying on suicide and roadside bombings have yet to make comment.