Srinagar: At least 25 Afghan soldiers were killed on Friday in a major attack by the Taliban on a military base in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.

Afghan forces killed at least nine Taliban insurgents, including three suicide bombers, during the attack, news gathering agency Reuters quoting Afghan officials reported.

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The 215 Maiwand Army Corps came under attack in the early hours of Friday, said a senior security official in Kabul, adding the attack was the Taliban’s third attempt to overrun Camp Shorab, a strategic military installation, in the past 48 hours.

An Afghan security forces officer in Helmand said one of the suicide bombers had blown himself up in a dining room inside the military corps compound, and clashes continued.

The U.S. advise and assist mission, which works alongside Afghan troops, operates from the base.

Foreign forces present at the base were safe as the Taliban could not breach the walls of their compound, two other security officials said.