Afghanistan

Afghanistan's army chief and defence minister have resigned days after the deadliest ever Taliban attack on a military base.

At least 130 soldiers and military staff were believed to have been killed and 80 wounded when gunmen and suicide bombers dressed in army uniforms stormed a base near Mazar-e Sharif on Friday.

A statement from President Ashraf Ghani's office said he had accepted the resignations of Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim.

The departures came as Pentagon chief Jim Mattis arrived unannounced in Kabul to access the continuing need for US troops in the lengthy war.

The Trump administration is thought to be considering sending in more troops to help the Afghans fight the insurgency.

Dozens of people have been killed by the Taliban in an attack on a military base in Afghanistan, US officials have said.

US Central Command spokesman Colonel John Thomas said there were probably more than 50 Afghan casualties, but did not say how many were dead or wounded.

The incident at a military base near Mazar-i-Sharif is "not yet resolved", Colonel Thomas said.

Afghan forces killed several of the attackers in response to the assault, which targeted a mosque and dining facility at Camp Shaheen.

Afghan civilians were thought to be working at the base as well as troops.