NATO soldier killed in Afghanistan

A NATO soldier has been killed in an attack by the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan, days after the militants vowed to intensify attacks on the US-led troops.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) announced in a Monday statement that the attack had taken place in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday. The nationality of the soldier is yet to be revealed.

This is the second foreign soldier to fall within 24 hours. Earlier on Sunday a member of the British military was killed while on foot patrol in southern Afghanistan.

The latest death brings to 187 the number of troops killed in the country this year.

In a Saturday statement, the militants threatened to launch an offensive that would target “Americans, NATO members and their surrogates.”

According to official announcements, 2009 was the deadliest year for foreign troops to date, with a total of 520 US-led soldiers killed in action.

Attacks against the 130,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan have been on the rise.

The number of the international troops deployed in the country is set to be boosted to 150,000 by August as the US plans a troop surge in an effort to bring the increasing militancy under control.