Two French soldiers among four NATO troops killed in latest Afghan attacks

Two French soldiers among four NATO troops killed in latest Afghan attacks

2011-08-08 16:49:18 GMT+7 (ICT)

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

ISAF said two of its service members were killed as a result of an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan while two more were killed in a second insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan. As usual, the multinational force gave no other details about the incidents, including the exact locations and the nationalities of the service members.

But a statement from the office of French President Nicolas Sarkozy identified two of the victims as French soldiers, saying they were killed by insurgents in the Tagab valley. "The President conveys to their families and their loved ones his deepest sympathy and he shares their pain," the statement said, adding that five French soldiers were also injured in the attack.

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 382 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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