Six NATO-led soldier die in new Afghan violence

Six NATO-led soldier die in new Afghan violence

2010-10-13 19:43:03 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- Six NATO-led soldiers were killed after three separate insurgent attacks in eastern and southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, the alliance said.

The attacks were another reminder that insurgents in the country are still able to inflict heavy losses on the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

In one attack in eastern Afghanistan, ISAF said one of its service members was killed as a result of an insurgent attack. An improvised explosive device (IED) attack in southern Afghanistan killed a second service member. Later, four more service members were killed after a second IED attack in the country's south.

ISAF did not immediately release the nationalities of the service members, saying: "It is ISAF policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities."

Coalition casualties in Afghanistan have been rising sharply this year, with around 90 service members being killed in July alone. It was the deadliest month for U.S. forces since the war began on October 7, 2001 in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

So far this month, around 30 service members have been killed in incidents throughout Afghanistan, according to a BNO News tally. Most of the casualties were American and died in Afghanistan's war-torn southern region.

On Saturday, four Italian soldiers were killed and another was injured after an ambush in western Afghanistan. The soldiers were ambushed in the country's Farah province as they were escorting a civilian convoy of 70 trucks.

"Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa, after hearing the news of the tragic attack in Afghanistan, expressed his deep sorrow for the four dead soldiers and great solidarity with the wounded soldier and a sense of special closeness with the families of victims," the Italian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Italy has around 3,400 soldiers in Afghanistan and 600 more are expected to arrive by the end of the year. Since 2004, at least 34 Italian service members have died in combat.

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