The attack comes as the United States looks to revive stalled peace talks with Taliban militants who control more territory than at any point since being ousted from power by coalition forces in 2001.
Five Georgian servicemen were injured in the attack, the country’s defense ministry said in a statement. The majority of casualties were Afghan.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday’s blasts.
“A 30-minute clash also happened between the attackers, who obviously wanted to enter the base, and foreign forces,” Wahida Shahkar, a spokeswoman for the governor of Parwan province, where the base is located, told Reuters.
Two attackers detonated vehicles laden with explosives at the southern entrance to the base, while five more opened fire. It was not immediately clear how many of the five gunmen were killed, Shahkar said.
The attack was “quickly contained and repelled”, but a medical base being built for locals was badly damaged, Resolute Support, the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, said in a statement.