Kabul  - Eight US soldiers and two Afghan troops were killed when suspected Taliban insurgents attacked their outpost in eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan, officials said Sunday.

The militants launched a "complex" attack from a local mosque and nearby village on Afghan and US forces Saturday that raged throughout the day, the US military said in a statement.

"Coalition forces effectively repelled the attack and inflicted heavy enemy casualties while eight ISAF and two ANSF service members were killed," the statement said.

The combined force was operating under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

NATO spokesman Colonel Wayne Shanks confirmed that the eight ISAF casualties were US soldiers. (dpa)