In Afghanistan, at least eight Afghan soldiers have been killed and 11 wounded during an ongoing Taliban attack on their base in northern Balkh province today. <br/><br/>A defence ministry spokesman General Dawlat Waziri told AFP that gunmen wearing Afghan army uniforms have launched a complex attack on an army compound in the outskirts of Mazar-e-Sharif",capital of Balkh province.General Waziri said so far we have counted eight dead and eleven wounded, all military, there are no civilian casualties. <br/><br/>In a statement the Taliban claimed responsibility for the operation.<br/>'<br/>'''''''''<br/>