US soldier killed in Taliban attack in eastern Afghanistan

Sep 6, 2009, 6:27 GMT

   Kabul - A US soldier was killed in Taliban insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, the military said in a statement.

   The soldier died one day after another US soldier was killed in the same region in militant attack, NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

   There are more than 60,000 US soldiers as part of ISAF and a separate US-led coalition in Afghanistan. More than 20,000 US troops were deployed to Afghanistan this year as part of President Barack Obama's new strategy to reverse the gains made by Taliban militants in the past three years.

   The international forces, mainly the US, British and Canadian troops moved deeper into Taliban's heartland in southern and eastern region this summer, but their advancement was stalled by mounting casualties.

   August was the deadliest month for US forces since the start of the invasion in late 2001, with 47 soldiers killed in action last month.

   More foreign soldiers have been killed so far this year than any other time since the start of the international military engagement in the war-torn country.