At least ten soldiers were killed when Taliban militants attacked an army base in the southern province of Kandahar in Afghanistan, defense officials said on Tuesday.

Nine people were wounded in the attack on Camp Achikzai in Shawali Kot district. It began just before midnight on Monday, the Afghan defense ministry said in a statement.

Security forces fought for several hours, killing at least 12 attackers, ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri told Reuters.

In Baghdis, provincial Governor Anwar Ishaqzai said a Taliban assault took place early on Tuesday in Muqur district, killing one policeman and triggering a gunbattle that left 11 insurgents dead.

A Taliban statement claims they captured the district’s army and police headquarters.

The Taliban has stepped up attacks in Afghanistan in recent weeks.

The United States is considering whether to send 3,000 to 5,000 more military advisers to help train and assist Afghan security forces battling a 16-year-long insurgency led by the Taliban.