A surprise late night raid by Afghan security forces uncovers a stockpile of weapons believed to have been amassed by suicide bombers for a major attack on Kabul.

Soldiers from Afghanistan's spy agency attacked this single story compound on the outskirts of the city just after midnight.

Five insurgents were killed and one injured in the five hour gun battle that followed.

(SOUNDBITE) (Dari) UNIDENTIFIED SOLDIER OF THE AFGHAN NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF SECURITY SAYING:

"They wanted to bring misery to our people in this holy month of Ramadan, but fortunately before reaching the target, they were all killed."

Afghan police said the militants loaded these three vehicles with explosives, suicide vests, stores of rocket propelled grenades and heavy automatic weapons for use in the attack.

Officials believe the would-be attackers planned to occupy a high-rise building to launch a deadly assault on the business centre of Kabul.

Sarah Wali, Reuters