A NATO soldier has been killed in a roadside bomb attack using an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan's south, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)said in an online statement late on Sunday.
The ISAF, however, did not disclose the identity or nationality of the deceased in accordance with its policy of not disclosing details until the home country of the victims does so.
Of late, roadside bombings using IEDs have become a hallmark of Taliban strategy against NATO forces in Afghanistan, as it avoids direct confrontation with the foreign troops while increasing casualties.
Another major issue facing the international coalition troops is the killing of its personnel by Afghan civilians and militants dressed in police as well as military uniforms. More than 40 ISAF personnel have been killed in 32 such attacks, dubbed by the media as "green-on-blue" attacks, so far this year.
More than 327 ISAF soldiers have been killed in that war-torn South Asian country since the beginning of this year, mostly in IED-triggered roadside bomb explosions as well as "green-on-blue" attacks.
Most of the ISAF casualties were from Southern Afghanistan, where the foreign troops, mainly from the U.S., UK and Australia, were trying to retain control over the territories captured from Taliban militants over the past two years.
Currently, there are over 130,000 foreign troops from more than 42 countries under the joint command of the NATO and the United States in Afghanistan to contain a resurgent Taliban.
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.
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