Thirty insurgents killed in Afghan battle

Thirty insurgents were killed and five coalition soldiers were wounded today in a battle sparked when attackers tried to storm a military outpost in eastern Afghanistan.

Assailants struck the base from all sides using small arms, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars.

The outpost is in Paktika province's Bermal district. Nearly all Nato forces in the province are from the US military.

Nato said coalition forces called in close air-support and air strikes to help repel the attack in the early hours of today.

In a statement, the military said five coalition service members were wounded during the attack but continued fighting.

The attack took place in an area about 125 miles south of the capital Kabul, near the border with Pakistan.