A firefight with militants in eastern Afghanistan killed a U.S. soldier and wounded another, the U.S. military said Monday. Insurgents fought with American and Afghan troops as they were carrying out an offensive operation in eastern Paktika province Friday, a military statement said. The wounded soldier was evacuated to a nearby base and was in stable condition, the Associated Press quoted the statement as saying. The death brings to 201 the number of U.S. troops killed in and around Afghanistan since late 2001.
