US-led soldier killed in Afghanistan

A US-led soldier has been killed after a bomb exploded in southern Afghanistan, bringing the number of foreign troops killed in the country this year to 219.

The International Security Assistance Force said the soldier, whose nationality was not revealed, “died following an improvised explosive device attack” on Wednesday, AFP reported.

According to an AFP tally kept by the icasualties.org website, the number of US-led troops killed in Afghanistan so far this year reaches 219.

A British soldier lost his life on Wednesday in a battle with militants in southern Afghanistan, amid a surge in Taliban attacks against the foreign forces in the country.

According to British officials, the soldier was shot dead when his foot patrol came under fire in the Nahr-e Saraj area of Helmand province.

He was the sixth British soldier killed in war-ravaged Afghanistan this month.

The 130,000 US-led troops based in the country are to be supplemented with another 30,000 in the coming months.