Roadside bomb kills NATO soldier in Afghanistan;s south

USPA News - A coalition service member was killed Friday when a roadside bomb exploded in southern Afghanistan, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said. It raises the number of foreign troops killed in Afghanistan so far this year to 13. ISAF said one of its service members was killed as a result of an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Afghanistan`s southern region, which was the birthplace of the Taliban movement nearly two decades ago.

But because the multinational force defers the release of specific details to national authorities, no other details about the incident were available, including the exact location. The nationality of the service member involved was also not immediately disclosed by ISAF, again per its policy. "It is ISAF policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities," ISAF said in a brief statement, giving no specific details. The alliance does also not disclose whether other service members were injured. Friday`s death raises the number of coalition troops killed in Afghanistan so far this year to 13, according to official figures. A total of 160 ISAF troops were killed in Afghanistan in 2013, down from 402 fatalities in 2012 and 566 in 2011. A majority of the fallen troops were American and were killed in the country`s south, which is plagued by IED attacks on troops and civilians. There are currently more than 52,600 foreign troops in Afghanistan, including some 33,600 U.S. troops and 5,200 British soldiers. The UN Security Council extended ISAF`s authorization for a final time last year, as all foreign combat troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. In June 2013, Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced the fifth and final phase of security transition in which coalition forces hand over control of the remaining 95 districts - including Taliban stronghold areas in the south and east - to Afghan security forces. ISAF will still be responsible for military air support as well as support in combat operations until the end of 2014.