US-led soldier killed in Afghanistan

Press TV, Sat Nov 6, 2010 9:41AM

Another US-led soldier has lost his life in an attack in southern Afghanistan, NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) says.

The soldier "died following an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan," ISAF said in a statement on Saturday, AFP reported.

NATO did not disclose the nationality of the soldier or the exact location of the incident.

At least 623 US-led foreign soldiers have been killed so far this year, compared to 521 for all of 2009.

The year 2010 has become the deadliest year for the US-led foreign forces since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

The announcement came a day after an Afghan soldier killed three American troops in southern Afghanistan.

NATO said on Saturday that the Afghan soldier opened fire on the troopers and killed them in the city of Sangin in Helmand province on Friday evening.

As the security situation continues to deteriorate in war-ravaged Afghanistan, US-led forces are killed by Taliban militants on a near-daily basis.

Western public opinion is growing increasingly tired of the war and mounting casualties. The United States and NATO have more than 150,000 troops in the war-torn country.

The developments come at a time when the United States and its allies have stepped up a bombing campaign in troubled southern Afghanistan.

US-led foreign forces have been criticized for military operations, which have led to death and destruction in war-ravaged Afghanistan.

More than 100,000 Afghans have been killed since the US-led invasion of the country in 2001.

The loss of civilian lives at the hand of foreign forces has led to a dramatic increase in anti-American sentiments in Afghanistan.

DB/HRF

3 US troops killed by Afghan soldier

Press TV, Sat Nov 6, 2010 7:40AM

Three American troops have been killed by an Afghan National Army soldier in southern Afghanistan, a NATO statement says.

NATO said on Saturday that the Afghan soldier opened fire on the troopers and killed them in the city of Sangin in Helmand province on Friday evening.

“The coalition and the Afghan government” launched a joint investigation into the incident, NATO added.

“An Afghan soldier shot and killed the American service members on their base” Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef said in a statement on Saturday.

He added that the Afghan solider defected to the militants after killing the Americans.

Taliban militants “took him to a safe place,” the Taliban spokesperson further explained.

The year 2010 has become the deadliest year for the US-led foreign forces since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

As the security situation continues to deteriorate in Afghanistan, US-led forces are killed by Taliban militants on a near-daily basis.

According to official figures, more than 2,100 US-led soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion of the country.

Figures released by Afghanistan's Baakhtar News Agency, however, put the death toll at near 4,500.

Western public opinion is growing increasingly tired of the war and mounting casualties. The United States and NATO have more than 150,000 troops in the war-torn country.

The developments come at a time when the US and its allies have stepped up a bombing campaign in troubled southern Afghanistan.

US-led foreign forces have been criticized for military operations, which have led to death and destruction in war-ravaged Afghanistan.

More than 100,000 Afghans have been killed since the US-led invasion of the country in 2001.

The loss of civilian lives at the hand of foreign forces has led to a dramatic increase in anti-American sentiments in Afghanistan.

DB/HRF

Afghan soldier may have killed 2 troops

By Katharine Houreld -

The Associated Press Posted :

Saturday Nov 6, 2010 9:47:58 EDT

KABUL, Afghanistan—

NATO said Saturday it is investigating whether an Afghan National Army soldier killed two coalition service members in southern Afghanistan, where joint forces are pushing into insurgent (Taliban fighetrs) strongholds.

NATO said the coalition and the Afghan government were jointly investigating how the two service members died Friday evening in Sangin, a dangerous district of Helmand province.

An insurgent attack killed another NATO service member Saturday in the south, NATO said, without giving details or providing a nationality.

The Taliban issued a statement on the deaths in Sangin district saying an Afghan soldier shot and killed the service members on their base and then defected to the insurgency. The Taliban said the dead coalition members were Americans and put the number killed at three, but often exaggerates casualty figures in announcing its attacks.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef said in the statement that the Afghan solider killed the coalition troops and then joined up with insurgents who took him to a safe place, according to a translation by the U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant forums.

NATO troops share bases with Afghan soldiers and conduct joint patrols. The close relationship is necessary to support Afghan forces as they carry out more operations, but leaves coalition forces vulnerable to attack by infiltrators.

On July 21, an Afghan army sergeant got into an argument at a shooting range in northern Afghanistan and fatally shot two American civilian trainers before being killed. Another Afghan soldier was killed in the crossfire. In a July 13 attack, an Afghan soldier stationed in the south killed three British troops, including the company commander.

In November 2009, an Afghan policeman killed five British soldiers in the south. A month earlier, an Afghan policeman on patrol with U.S. soldiers fired on the Americans, killing two.

NATO troops have also killed Afghan security forces. In August, a NATO helicopter mistakenly killed three Afghan policemen who had called in air support.

In July, a botched airstrike killed six Afghan soldiers in eastern Ghazni province after the unit gave a wrong location to international forces.

Six US-led troops killed in Afghan war

Press TV, Fri Nov 5, 2010 1:15PM

US-led troops in Afghanistan, file Photo The NATO says six of its soldiers have been killed in combat operations in Afghanistan as the death toll of US-led forces continues to climb in country.

The US-led military alliance said two of the soldiers were killed in the south and one was killed in the east. The other three soldiers were killed on Thursday also in the south.

NATO has not disclosed the identities of the soldiers.

The latest deaths bring the number of slain foreign soldiers to more than 622 so far this year. The year 2010 has become the deadliest year for the US-led foreign forces since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

As the security situation continues to deteriorate in Afghanistan, US-led forces are killed by Taliban militants on a near-daily basis.

According to official figures, more than 2,100 US-led soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion of the country.

Figures released by Afghanistan's Baakhtar News Agency, however, put the death toll at near 4,500.

Western public opinion is growing increasingly tired of the war and mounting casualties. The United States and NATO have more than 150,000 troops in the war-torn country.

The developments come at a time when the US and its allies have stepped up a bombing campaign in troubled southern Afghanistan.

Tens of thousands of Afghan and foreign troops have been fighting the Taliban in Kandahar Province to flush militants out of the region.

US-led foreign forces have been criticized for military operations, which have led to death and destruction in war-ravaged Afghanistan.

A human rights group says civilian casualties have spiked since operations started in Kandahar in early September.

The Afghan Rights Monitor (ARM) says the US-led campaign in Kandahar has destroyed or damaged hundreds of houses.

ARM says US-led NATO forces have used aerial bombings, hidden booby traps and mines in private homes.

According to the rights group, most of the attacks have been carried out in areas that hold about one-third of Kandahar Province's population.

More than 100,000 Afghans have been killed since the US-led invasion of the country in 2001.

The loss of civilian lives at the hand of foreign forces has led to a dramatic increase in anti-American sentiments in Afghanistan.

JR/HGH/MMN