An Afghan official says at least five government soldiers were killed after Taliban militants attacked a military base in the country's south.

Mohammad Ashraf Watandost, the police spokesman for Kandahar Province, said six soldiers were also wounded in the January 2 attack in the Maiwand district.

Watandost said the militants entered the base through an underground tunnel.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement.

Separately, Afghan border security forces foiled an attack on Italian military advisers at a base in the western province of Herat on January 2.

Noorullah Qadri, the commander of 207 Zafar military corps, said two attackers who had infiltrated the border security forces fired on the Italian advisers.

Qadri said the advisers escaped uninjured and one attacker was gunned down immediately while the other was arrested.

Nearly 900 Italian soldiers are part of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission focused on training, advising, and assisting the Afghan forces in four western provinces.

Based on reporting by Reuters and Tolo News