NATO soldier killed in southern Afghanistan

[News_Editor]

NATO soldier killed in southern Afghanistan

2011-08-02 09:26:53 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- A coalition service member was killed in southern Afghanistan on Monday as a result of an insurgent attack, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

ISAF said one of its service members was killed as a result of an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan. As usual, the multinational force gave no other details about the incident, including the exact location.

The nationality of the service member was 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 336 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.

On Sunday, five coalition service members were killed as a result of three separate incidents in Afghanistan. Three ISAF service members were killed in western Afghanistan as a result of a non-battle related injury while another service member was killed in an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan. The fifth service member died in eastern Afghanistan as a result of an improvised explosive device (IED) attack.

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