More foreign troops killed in anti-Taliban operation

As thousands of US-led forces have launched an operation in southern Afghanistan, the number of those foreign troops killed in the assault is rising.

According to the latest statement by NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), seven troopers were killed on Saturday.

Two ISAF service members, three American soldiers, a Canadian soldier and a British trooper were among the dead.

The British soldier was killed in the Nad-e-Ali area of Helmand Province, the British Ministry of Defense said.

The military alliance said in a statement that one NATO soldier had been killed in a roadside bomb attack, while another died of a gunshot wound from a small firearm.

Three US soldiers died after a bomb exploded in southern Afghanistan on Saturday.

Some 15,000 US, British and Afghan troops are taking part in an offensive in the town of Marjah, a major Taliban stronghold in Helmand, in Operation Moshtarak that means “joint” in Dari.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai warned the troops to do everything possible to avoid harming civilians.

At least 20 Taliban militants were also killed, commander of the Afghan troops in the operation General Sher Mohammad Zazai said.

Meanwhile, Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak said he is upbeat about the result of the operation while the Taliban says it is fighting back.