US Soldier Dies Of Combat-Related Injuries In Afghanistan - RTT News

10/3/2012 4:28 AM ET
(RTTNews) - A U.S. Forces-Afghanistan service-member has died of wounds suffered in an IED (improvised explosive device) attack in southern Afghanistan, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said on Tuesday.

Nevertheless, neither the USFOR-A or the ISAF disclosed the identity of the deceased American soldier in accordance with their policy of leaving casualty identification to the U.S. Defense Department. In cases of deaths of soldiers from countries other than the U.S., the ISAF defers identification procedures to relevant national authorities.

Earlier in the month, U.S. military casualties in Afghanistan since its 2001 invasion had hit the 2,000 mark after an American service-member died in a shooting incident in the country's east.

According to media estimates, some 348 ISAF personnel, including 266 Americans, have been killed in Afghanistan so far this year, mostly in roadside bomb attacks using IEDs.

Of late, roadside bombings using IEDs have become a hallmark of Taliban strategy against NATO forces deployed in the country, as it avoids direct confrontation with the foreign troops while increasing casualties.

Notably, most of the ISAF casualties have been in southern Afghanistan, where the foreign coalition is attempting to retain control over the territories captured from Taliban militants over the past two years.

Another major issue facing the international coalition troops is the killing of its personnel by Afghan soldiers themselves and by Afghan civilians and militants dressed in police as well as military uniforms. More than 51 ISAF personnel have been killed in 34 such attacks, dubbed by the media as "green-on-blue" attacks, so far this year.

The latest developments come after the final batch of 33,000 U.S. troops President Barack Obama sent to Afghanistan last year as part of Surge Forces returned home on schedule in August after successfully completing their mission. Presently 68,000 American soldiers remain in Afghanistan to fight Taliban insurgency alongside their NATO and Afghan partners.

The U.S. and other allied nations involved in the Afghan mission are currently making serious efforts to get the Afghan security forces ready and capable of handling the country's security before the planned withdrawal of coalition troops by the end of 2014. However, there are wide concerns about the ability of Afghan security forces to counter the Taliban insurgency without the same level of foreign military assistance and presence.

by RTT Staff Writer

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