Afghans \\\'repel big attack on base\\\'

Afghan forces backed by Nato air power have repelled an assault by more than 300 militants including foreign fighters on an army base close to the Pakistani border, officials say. They say that the fighting took place in south-eastern Afghanistan, close to Pakistan's Waziristan region. Nato has not commented on the clashes, although local people said that Nato aircraft took part. Scores of militants from the Haqqani network were killed, officials say. No militant group has commented on the fighting, but defence ministry officials say those orchestrating the attack were Pakistan-based militants who tried to storm an army base in the remote border district of Zirkuk in Paktika province. They said that five Afghan National Army soldiers were killed, six injured and one taken prisoner, according to BBC.