Three NATO soldiers were killed in a bomb attack in Afghanistan yesterday, the alliance announced, bringing to 584 the total number of personnel killed so far this year.
The US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said the attack was in western Afghanistan, but released no other details.
There are US, Spanish, Italian and Lithuanian troops based in NATO contingents in the west.
The Taliban insurgency against US-led NATO troops and the Afghan government is now in its deadliest year, having expanded steadily since the 2001 US-led invasion brought down its regime.
Six US soldiers were killed in attacks on Wednesday and four Italian soldiers in a single bombing in western Afghanistan last week.
Yesterday’s deaths brought to 584 the number of foreign soldiers killed this year, eclipsing the previous record of 521 last year. The AFP tally is based on a count by the independent Web site -icasualties.org.
Bombs known as IEDs — improvised explosive devices — are the weapons of choice for the Taliban and other insurgents fighting the 152,000 foreign troops under US and NATO command now deployed in the country.
Western public opinion is growing increasingly tired of the war, angry over corruption within Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s government and mounting casualties as the conflict pushes into its 10th year.
Italy on Wednesday became the latest NATO ally to detail plans to scale down its military presence and hand over territory to Afghan security forces by the end of next year.
Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa said his government planned to hand over control of large parts of western Afghanistan to local authorities by the end of next year, leaving only a mission to train the Afghan police and army.
Italy is the fifth-largest contributor of foreign troops in Afghanistan, with a deployment of around 3,400. That number is expected to rise to around 4,000 by the end of this year, before the planned drawdown.
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