Afghan families buried their dead and the country observed a national day of mourning on Sunday after at least 100 soldiers were killed or wounded in a Taliban attack on a military base, prompting angry calls for Ministers and Army chiefs to resign.

The exact toll from Friday’s assault in Balkh remained unclear, with some officials putting the number of dead at 130. There was growing anger online. “The best way to honour them is to fire and punish those who failed to do their jobs and/or cooperated with the enemy. Some leaders must go!” said a user on Twitter.

President Ashraf Ghani’s spokesman Shah Hussain Murtazawi said a thorough investigation had been ordered.