Suicide attack on Afghan military base, 43 dead

Kandahar - At least 43 Afghan soldiers were killed in a Taliban-claimed suicide attack on a military base in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, officials said, the third assault on a security installation this week.

Just two soldiers are known to have survived unscathed after the attack on the base in the Chashmo area of Maiwand district in Kandahar province, the defence ministry said in a statement, adding that nine soldiers were wounded and six unaccounted for.

Defence ministry spokesperson Dawlat Waziri told AFP the attackers detonated at least one explosive-packed Humvee vehicle and razed the compound in the early morning assault.

The Taliban claimed the ambush in a message to journalists which said all 60 security personnel on the base were killed.

Ten insurgents died, the ministry said.

"We have sent a delegation to assess the situation. The base is under ANA (Afghan National Army) control," Waziri told AFP.

It was the third suicide and gun attack on a security installation this week and takes the total death toll to more than 100, including soldiers, police and civilians.