Details were sketchy in the immediate hours after the clash today, but the national intelligence service released a video showing the bloodied bodies of the alleged militants, who wore police uniforms.
The intelligence service's statement described the gunmen as being Pakistani, though it gave no indication as to how it knew that. It said the men were armed with Kalashnikovs and other weapons.
According to the intelligence service, three bystanders attending early morning prayers at the mosque were wounded. However, the area district police chief, Hafizullah, who like many Afghans goes by one name, said no one was wounded.