UPDATE1 -- Insurgent attacks in Afghanistan's south kill two NATO soldiers

UPDATE1 -- Insurgent attacks in Afghanistan's south kill two NATO soldiers

2011-05-28 15:50:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- Two separate insurgent attacks in southern Afghanistan on Saturday left two coalition service members killed, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

ISAF said one of its service members was killed in southern Afghanistan as a result of an insurgent attack, while a second service member died as a result of an improvised explosive device (IED) attack. The nationalities of the service members was also not immediately disclosed. "It is ISAF policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities," a brief statement said.

On Friday, four coalition service members were killed as a result of three separate incidents in southern Afghanistan. One soldier died in an insurgent attack while two others died following an IED attack. Another soldier died as a result of a non-battle related injury.

And on Thursday, eight coalition service members were killed when an IED exploded in southern Afghanistan. Another service member died in a helicopter crash in Paktika province. It was one of the bloodiest days so far this year for the alliance.

Coalition casualties in Afghanistan have been rising sharply in recent years, with a total coalition death toll of 709 in 2010, making it the deadliest year for international troops since the war began in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

So far this year, 205 coalition service members have been killed in Afghanistan. Most troops are killed in the country's south, which is plagued by IED attacks on troops and civilians.

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