At least 140 soldiers were killed and many others were wounded in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, in what has described as the deadliest attack ever on an Afghan military base.

The death toll is expected to rise.

As many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, talked their way onto the base and opened fire on soldiers eating dinner and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials.