US-led soldier killed in eastern Afghanistan

At least one foreign soldier serving with the US-led forces has been killed in an attack in eastern Afghanistan.

The US-led military alliance confirmed the death of the soldier in a statement on Tuesday.

“An International Security Assistance Force service member died as a result of an enemy forces attack in eastern Afghanistan today.”

Further details such as the exact location of the incident and the nationality of the soldier were not included in the statement.

The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but insecurity continues across the country despite the presence of tens of thousands of US-led troops.

The US-led war in Afghanistan, which has caused record-high civilian and military casualties, has become the longest military conflict in US history.

According to official figures released by the website icasualties.org, the overall number of the US-led soldiers killed in Afghanistan so far this year stands at 56, out of which 39 have been Americans.

Official figures show that 160 US-led soldiers lost their lives in Afghanistan last year. However, 2010 remains the deadliest year for foreign troops in Afghanistan, with a death toll of 711.