This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
On Monday, a US soldier died in combat following an attack in Afghanistan's Kunduz province. The incident has sparked concerns about the ongoing talks between the US and the Taliban.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that insurgents 'blew up an American vehicle in Char Dara district of Kunduz' overnight Sunday-Monday. According to the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, several other US troops and Afghan forces were also wounded.
The attack comes as negotiations between the US and the Taliban have been ongoing in Doha. The talks were put on hold earlier this month following a bombing at the Bagram air base north of Kabul, but have since restarted.
With at least 20 American troops killed in action in Afghanistan this year, 2019 has become the deadliest year for US forces since combat operations officially finished at the end of 2014. The incident highlights the persistent security situation in Afghanistan, where about 2,400 US troops have been killed since the US-led invasion in October 2001.
Currently, the Pentagon has between 12-13,000 troops in Afghanistan. President Donald Trump has expressed his desire to cut the number of troops to about 8,600 or lower as he seeks to end America's longest war.
