Afghan Military Says Taliban Attack In Kandahar Province Kills 10 Soldiers

Afghan officials say Taliban militants have attacked an army base in the southern province of Kandahar, killing at least 10 soldiers and wounding nine.

The Defense Ministry said the attack began just before midnight on May 22 at Camp Achakzai in the Shah Walikot district.

Ministry spokesman Dawlat Wazeri said that at least 12 attackers were killed in a battle that lasted several hours overnight.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack as their annual spring offensive against government forces intensifies across the country.

Afghan security forces are battling a 16-year-long insurgency led by the Taliban, an extremist group that was driven from power after a U.S.-led invasion following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States.

The United States is considering whether to send 3,000 to 5,000 more military advisers to help train and assist Afghan security forces.

With reporting by Reuters and dpa