An Australian soldier has been killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan during a mission against insurgents, military officials said on Monday.
The death brought to 39 the number of Australian lives lost in the conflict.
“The soldier was clearing a compound when an IED detonated, killing him instantly,” Australian defence chief General David Hurley said.
“No other Australian or Afghanistan personnel were killed or wounded in the incident.
“The special operations mission remains ongoing so I cannot provide specific details about the location or the mission itself without risking the safety of this young man’s comrades.”
Australia is a close ally of the United States and its Afghan deployment began in 2001. It announced this year that it would begin withdrawing its forces in 2013, earlier than planned due to significant security gains.
Most of the 1,550 Australian troops in Afghanistan are based in Uruzgan province, with a focus on training and mentoring Afghan National Army soldiers.
Australian soldier killed in Afghanistan
