Military vehicles cross the Quetta Chaman highway at the Kojak Pass border area after leaving the Kandahar province, Afghanistan. Eighteen Afghan soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack on a military base on Monday in Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province. File Photo by Matiullah Achakzai/UPI | License Photo

May 26 (UPI) -- At least 18 Afghan soldiers died in a Taliban attack on a Kandahar province, Afghanistan, military base earlier this week, according to government sources.

The attack was launched late Monday in Shah Wali Kot district and lasted until Tuesday morning. It came four days after 10 Afghan soldiers were killed in an attack on a nearby base in southeastern Afghanistan and the day after at least 20 police officers died in raids on outposts in the Arghandab district of central Zabul province. Taliban insurgents typically step up offensives in the spring.


Afghan Ministry of Defense spokesman Gen. Dawlat Waziri said at least 10 soldiers died and nine were injured in the Sha Wali Kot attack. Local media put the death count at 18, the Daily Pakistan reported.

Waziri added that weapons and ammunition were seized by the Taliban, and that at least 12 Taliban members died in the attack. The Taliban, in a message on its website, said it killed 35 Afghan soldiers.