Five diggers wounded by roadside bomb

Five Australian soldiers have been wounded, three of them seriously, after their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.

Defence reports all five are conscious and have been in contact with their families. Some are expected to return to Australia in the coming days for rehabilitation.

A statement issued by Defence said the incident happened overnight.

The soldiers were from the 1st mentoring taskforce, and were conducting a routine patrol in the Chora Valley area of Oruzgan Province on their Bushmaster vehicle when it struck the bomb.

The wounded were evacuated to a medical centre within an hour, Defence said, and were then transferred to a larger medical facility in Kandahar.

"All five soldiers are conscious and have called their families to let them know what has happened," said Major General John Cantwell, commander of joint taskforce 633.