Up to 46 security personnel, Taliban militants and civilians have been killed during an attack in Afghanistan, according to reports.
Fighting broke out between Afghan forces and the Taliban overnight Tuesday near Kandahar airport in the south of the country, Reuters reported.
At least 37 civilians and members of the Afghan security forces had been killed and 35 were reported to be wounded, the defense ministry said.
In a statement the ministry said nine insurgents were killed, including one who blew himself up.
A NATO spokesman told Reuters there had been no reports of casualties among the hundreds of international personnel at the air base.
An unnamed doctor at a military hospital told the BBC, 41 bodies had been received, including four soldiers.
Officials told Al Jazeera the Taliban fighters used AK-47s and wore military uniforms during the attack, which lasted for several hours.
Officials said the homes of Afghan army officials were among those attacked and that nearby businesses were torched.
A man who was trapped in a building near the airport told Al Jazeera that residents were told to remain inside and take cover, incase Afghan or US-NATO forces mistook them for Taliban fighters.