The Taliban on Monday claimed responsibility for an attack on an American convoy that killed one US soldier and, the insurgents said, wounded several more.
The killing is likely to have consequences for ongoing talks between the US and the Taliban. President Donald Trump in September declared negotiations “dead” after the Taliban killed a US soldier in a Kabul bombing.
Negotiations have since restarted in Doha, but were paused earlier this month after yet another bombing, this time at Bagram air base, north of Kabul.
The US military confirmed the death but said the service member’s name would be withheld until the next of kin were informed. It would not immediately comment on the Taliban claim.
Last month, two US service members were killed in Afghanistan when their helicopter crashed in eastern Logar province. The Taliban also claimed responsibility for that crash, saying they had downed the helicopter, causing many fatalities. The US military dismissed the Taliban claim as false.
Shortly after the US military statement on Monday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted that the US soldier was killed in the Chardara district in northern Kunduz province where US and Afghan forces were carrying out a joint raid. The spokesman said the insurgents had planted roadside bomb that killed the service member. He even tweeted a photo purportedly showing the ID of the slain US soldier, without saying how it was obtained.
More than a dozen foreign force members have been killed in Afghanistan this year. There were also been three non-combat deaths in 2019. More than 2,400 Americans have died in the nearly 18-year conflict.
About 20,000 foreign troops, most of them American, are in Afghanistan as part of a US-led Nato mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces. Some US forces carry out counterterrorism operations against militant groups.
Depending on how one qualifies a combat-related death, at least 20 American troops have been killed in action in Afghanistan this year.
This makes 2019 the deadliest for US forces since combat operations officially ended at the close of 2014, and highlights the challenging security situation that persists across much of Afghanistan.
The Taliban now control or hold sway over practically half of Afghanistan but continue to stage near-daily attacks targeting Afghan and US forces, as well as government officials – even as they hold peace talks with a US envoy tasked with negotiating an end to what has become America's longest war. Scores of Afghan civilians have also been killed in the crossfire or by roadside bombs planted by militants.
The deal between the US and the Taliban had been all but signed before Mr Trump called off talks at the last moment. The initial version of the deal would have involved the Pentagon pulling thousands of troops out of Afghanistan in return for Taliban guarantees they would tackle Al Qaeda and ISIS.
The attack comes one day after officials announced preliminary results in Afghanistan’s presidential elections that put President Ashraf Ghani on track to secure a second term.
The Taliban have long viewed Mr Ghani as an American stooge.
Currently, the Pentagon has between 12-13,000 troops in Afghanistan. Mr Trump has said he wants to cut that number to about 8,600 or lower as he seeks to show voters he is making good on a campaign pledge.
