Afghan army base

Five others were injured in the assault on the facility in Shah Wali Kot district, defence ministry spokesman Dawlat Wazir told the BBC.

It comes four days after 10 Afghan soldiers were killed when Taliban militants stormed another base in the same area.

The Taliban said it had carried out the attack, AFP news agency reports.

Last month, the Taliban announced the start of their "spring offensive" a week after killing at least 135 Afghan soldiers in a military compound near the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif.

Fighting lasted for several hours on Friday near the city of Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Balkh province.

Insurgents targeted those leaving Friday prayers at the base's mosque and others in a canteen, the army said.

The Taliban said in a statement they had carried out the attack, using suicide bombers to breach defences.

A local source told the BBC the death toll could rise further.

At least 10 Taliban militants were killed in the fighting and one attacker was detained.