US soldier reportedly killed in Mazar-e-Sharif

An American special forces soldier has reportedly been killed during an uprising among Taliban prisoners at a fortress outside the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

A journalist who was trapped inside the fortress when the fighting began said a US soldier was disarmed and killed during the riot.

Time magazine’s Alex Perry said 800 prisoners were involved in the uprising.

"There were two American soldiers inside the fort, one of whom was disarmed and killed," he said.

"Another one was also in trouble. He was out of ammunition. He had managed to sort of hold off the Taliban with his pistol. There’s no word on his fate."

Video footage taken by a German television crew also showed a US soldier inside the fortress calling in air attacks from his comrades over the phone.

The soldier said he believed an American was killed in the fighting. The Pentagon denied that any US troops were killed.

Meanwhile, the uprising appears to be continuing today, despite Northern Alliance claims that they had killed nearly all the prisoners involved in the riot.

Simon Brook, the head of Red Cross operations in northern Afghanistan, said he was close to the compound this morning and saw troops movements, gunfire and explosions.

The prisoners involved in the riot are believed to be Chechens, Pakistanis, Arabs and other Muslims who surrendered in the northern city of Kunduz over the weekend.