By Xinhua,
Kabul : Three soldiers of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) died Tuesday in eastern and southern Afghanistan while U.S. Army General David D. McKiernan took charge of the multi-national force in Kabul, the ISAF said.
Two ISAF soldiers died during a patrol in eastern Afghanistan as another ISAF soldier died of wounds after an engagement with insurgents in the south, the military alliance said in statements.
One more ISAF soldier and one local national were wounded in the incident which occurred in the eastern region, the ISAF added.
The NATO-led military did not mention in which provinces both the incidents happened exactly or release the casualties’ nationalities.
ISAF spokesperson Brigadier General Carlos Branco said the soldiers died and were wounded while “trying to help bring peace and security for the Afghan people.”
On the same day, General David D. McKiernan took command of the 52,900-strong NATO-led ISAF contributed by some 40 nations, replacing U.S. General Dan McNeill, in Afghan capital city of Kabul.
NATO assumed authority for the ISAF mission in August 2003 and its mission included stabilizing the security across Afghanistan and helping with the war-ravaged country’s reconstruction process.