Acting on a tip-off from local residents about militants being present at Gumbat area in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, the troops launched a search operation.
When he was encircled by troops, the would-be bomber detonated his suicide vest.
Another would-be suicide attacker and five handlers were arrested by the security forces.
One soldier was injured in the exchange of fire between the troops and the militants, the officials said.
Gumbat is part of the Malakand region, a former Taliban stronghold.
The army launched an operation in Malakand and Swat in 2009 to flush out Taliban fighters led by Maulana Fazlullah.
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