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80 dead in Afghan military base attack

From Matiullah Mati, CNN
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • A governor's spokesman says no NATO or Afghan troops were killed in the battle
  • NATO says at least 30 people were killed in the attack
  • An air weapons team opened fire after an attack on a combat outpost, NATO says
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(CNN) -- Eighty people were killed in clashes with NATO and Afghan forces in Paktika province, a spokesman for the province's governor said Saturday.

All the people killed were insurgents, according to Farid Mukhlis, the governor's spokesman.

Authorities said no NATO or Afghan troops, or civilians were killed in the clashes, which began at midnight Friday and continued into Saturday morning.

The attack took place at a military base in Barmal district, the spokesman said.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force said at least 30 insurgents were killed in the attack on the combat outpost. It was not clear why there was a discrepancy in the number of dead reported.

Five coalition troops were wounded during the battle, the force said in a statement.

"Insurgents attacked from all directions with rocket-propelled grenades, small arms and mortar fire," the statement said, and a coalition air weapons team responded to the attack.

CNN's Pierre Bairin contributed to this report.