Insurgent attacks kill three NATO-led troops in Afghanistan

Insurgent attacks kill three NATO-led troops in Afghanistan

2011-06-18 23:07:46 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- Three coalition service members were killed on Saturday as a result of three separate insurgent attacks in eastern and southern Afghanistan, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

ISAF said two of its service members were killed in southern Afghanistan as a result of two separate insurgent attacks, while a third insurgent attack in the country's east claimed another service member. As usual, the multinational force gave no other details about the incidents.

The nationalities of the service members were also not immediately disclosed. "It is ISAF policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities," a brief statement said.

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, at least 251 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. Most of the casualties are American.

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