Another US soldier killed in Afghanistan

A US soldier has been killed after a bomber detonated an explosives-laden motorcycle near a military patrol in southern Afghanistan, an Afghan army officer says.

The bombing occurred Saturday on the outskirts of Kandahar city.

A bomber blew himself up near “the vehicles of US forces. One US soldier was killed, three others were wounded and an Afghan civilian was killed and four others were wounded,” said Captain Abdul Rahman.

The US military has not yet confirmed the death.

On Thursday, five US soldiers were injured after a bomber hit a US base in Afghanistan.

Paktia Province Spokesman Ruhollah Samoun said that the bomber exploded the bomb around 9 p.m. Thursday.

Initial investigations showed the attacker was wearing an Afghan border police uniform.

The attack on Saturday happened as thousands of US-led troops launched a major operation against Taliban militants in the southern Afghan town of Marjah in Helmand province.

Afghan civilians — killed in militant attacks and bombings as well as in coalition forces’ “counterterrorism raids” — have been the main victims of the long-fought war.