Afghanistan: US soldier killed in combat with Daesh

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

An American soldier was killed and several others injured while fighting Daesh militants in eastern Afghanistan, U.S. Forces confirmed on Thursday.

Both U.S. and Afghan security personnel were injured during an operation targeting Daesh militants, a statement by the U.S. Forces in Afghanistan said.

The wounded soldiers have been sent for medical treatment, the statement added, without stating the number of casualties.

Casualties, an independent website tracking casualties in the ongoing war in Afghanistan, states 10 American soldiers have been killed during combat this year.

It added, 2,402 American have been killed, since 2001 when the U.S.-led war began in Afghanistan.

There have been no comments on the incident from pro-Daesh fighters concentrated in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.

Bill Salvin, director for public affairs at the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, told Anadolu Agency that 700 Daesh fighters are located in Nangarhar, while 200-300 fighters are in Kunar.

“The efforts of the Afghans, with the assistance of U.S. combat has reduced the Daesh presence by more than half, and the number of districts where they are present by more than two-thirds,” he said.

The U.S. Forces in Afghanistan aim to eliminate Daesh from Afghanistan by the end of this year.