A US service member was killed in Afghanistan on Monday, December 23, American military officials in Afghanistan confirmed to the New York Times.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the killing.
Spokesperson for the militant group, Zabihullah Mujahid, said that the US and Afghan forces were targeted in a planted bomb by the militants in Haji Safarbai area of Char Dara district of the eastern Kunduz province.
He further claimed that one US soldier was killed and another US service member was wounded along with one Afghan commando force as the result of the attack.
According to the New York Times, the US-led mission in Afghanistan has refused to give more details about the identity of the fallen American soldier.
The service member’s death comes as the United States and Taliban negotiators have already halted a resurrected peace talks in Doha, capital of Qatar.
The peace talks between the two sides was resumed after President Donald Trump called off the months-long direct talks that was at the threshold of signing an agreement in September.
The talks was called off after a US service member was killed along with 12 civilians in a Taliban car bomb in Kabul.
With the death of this service member, the number of US troops who have died in Afghanistan raised to 20 this year – deadliest since 2014—while 15 US troops were reported killed in 2018.
Currently, there are about 12,000 American troops in Afghanistan providing support, advice, and training support to Afghan forces.
