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Afghans 'repel big militant attack on border army base' Afghans 'repel big militant attack on border army base'
(35 minutes later)
Afghan forces backed by Nato air power have repelled an assault by more than 300 militants including foreign fighters on an army base close to the Pakistani border, officials say.Afghan forces backed by Nato air power have repelled an assault by more than 300 militants including foreign fighters on an army base close to the Pakistani border, officials say.
They say that the fighting took place in south-eastern Afghanistan, close to Pakistan's Waziristan region.They say that the fighting took place in south-eastern Afghanistan, close to Pakistan's Waziristan region.
Nato has not commented on the clashes, although local people told the BBC that Nato aircraft took part. The Nato-led force has not commented on the clashes, although local people told the BBC that its aircraft took part.
Scores of militants from the Haqqani network were killed, officials say.Scores of militants from the Haqqani network were killed, officials say.
No militant group has commented on the fighting, but defence ministry officials say those orchestrating the attack were Pakistan-based militants who tried to storm an army base in the remote border district of Zirkuk in Paktika province. Officials say that as many as 60 militants were killed, but there is no independent confirmation of this.
Officials said that five Afghan National Army soldiers were killed, six injured and one taken prisoner. Five Afghan National Army soldiers were also killed, six wounded and one taken prisoner, they added.
No militant group has commented on the fighting, but defence ministry officials say those orchestrating the attack were Pakistan-based militants. The target of the attack was an army base in the remote border district of Zirkuk in Paktika province, they said.
The restive district lies 12km (7 miles) from the Pakistani town of Miramshah in North Waziristan - a stronghold of the Haqqani network.
An army commander in the area told the BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul that Wednesday's fighting was some of "the bloodiest" he had experienced for a long time.
He said the militants used rocket-propelled guns, heavy machine guns and mortars.
Our correspondent says that Zirkuk is a strategic district for the militants and serves as a gateway into Afghanistan.
The group has used the area to transport fighters and weapons from Waziristan into Afghanistan in the past.
Earlier this year, an insurgent attack on an army checkpoint in the eastern province of Kunar killed 21 soldiers. Later it emerged that three soldiers were in collusion with the insurgents and had facilitated the attack.