US says 100 troops deployed to troubled south Afghan city

A USA service member was killed Tuesday in Afghanistan by an improvised explosive device. Today, US Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) announced that one soldier was killed and another was wounded in an IED attack while patrolling in the province.

The incident is under investigation, and the identity of the deceased service member will be released following notification of next of kin.

USA soldier killed in anti-Taliban battle in Afghanistan was posted in World of TheNews International – https://www.thenews.com.pk on August 23, 2016 and was last updated on August 23, 2016.

The name of the USA soldier killed has not yet been released, pending family notification.

The troops will attempt to help the Afghans hold on to the city of Lashkar Gah, the southern capital of Helmand province.

The US has deployed troops in Helmand as part of an effort to prevent the Taliban from taking Lashkar Gah.

It marked the first major American deployment to the southern city since foreign forces withdrew from the opium-growing province in 2014.

The soldier killed on Tuesday was the first United States military fatality in Afghanistan since January. Some of the troops will advise and assist local police and the remainder will provide force protection for the trainers, the officials said.The officials said the USA forces will not be in Lashkar Gah in a combat role.

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook briefed reporters on the development in Washington, D.C., Monday afternoon, emphasizing that the troops are part of an expeditionary advisory package.

Around 10,000 US forces are operating in Afghanistan, divided between a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation training and assistance mission and USA counter-terrorism operations against militant groups.

Helmand province is considered the birthplace of the Taliban.

As the top generals were busy in Helmand, the northern city of Kunduz, which was briefly overrun by the Taliban last fall, once again faced strong offensives at its gates. Local officials have estimated that around 80 percent of the province has fallen or is in danger of falling to the Taliban. He was assisting Afghan special operations troops as they defended against an intense Taliban assault.

The number of contractors employed by the US Department of Defense peaked in early 2012, when some 117,000 contractors were servicing 88,000 US troops, according to the report.

In December 2014, after 13 years in Afghanistan, the US ended its official combat mission the nation, moving to what officials have described as counter-terrorism and train, advise and assist roles.