Eight American soldiers and two Afghan troops have been killed in the deadliest attack on coalition troops for more than a year, officials say.
The battle happened in Nuristan province in the remote east of the country when military outposts were attacked, a NATO statement said.
The Taliban said it carried out the attack. Reports say local officials including a police chief were captured.
In a statement, Nato's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said that tribal militia launched attacks on the foreign and Afghan military outposts from a mosque and a nearby village.
The attack is thought to have taken place in the Kamdesh district of Nuristan, and lasted several hours.
About 300 militants attacked one outpost at the foot of a hill, before turning their fire on a US base on higher ground, attacking from two sides, a provincial police chief said.
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A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the movement was behind the attack.
According to AP news agency, Mr Mujahid also said some 35 Afghan police officers had been taken into Taliban custody, and their fate would be decided by a council.
Provincial governor Jamaluddin Badar confirmed that some officials including a local police chief had been captured.
