A group of gunmen killed more than 50 Afghan army members in a sneak attack on a base in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif Friday, according AFP.
The attack targeted “soldiers at prayer in a mosque and others in a dining facility,” according to Gen. John Nicholson, commander of NATO’s Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.
Ten fighters dressed as Afghan army soldiers assaulted the base, which is located just outside Mazar-i-Sharif in the country’s Balkh province. The base is home to the Afghan National Army’s 209th Corps. The attack lasted several hours, an anonymous U.S. military spokesman told AFP.
“In total, there were 10 attackers involved in the attack on the Afghan army corps. Seven of them were killed, two blew themselves up and one was detained by Afghan forces,” Afghan Defense Ministry Spokesman Gen. Dawlat Waziri told AFP.
The Taliban is believed to be responsible for the attack, though the Islamic State also took credit.
Officials report more than 50 killed, though some sources reported more than 100.
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