KABUL : A foreign soldier was killed in a Taliban-style bomb attack in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, NATO said.

The death pushes the toll among foreign troops so far this month to 85, by far the deadliest monthly tally since the war began in late 2001.

The total for the year so far is 305, according to an AFP count based on that kept by the icasualties.org website. The total for 2009 was 520.

NATO`s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) did not give the nationality of the dead soldier, following its usual policy.

An ISAF statement said the soldier died following an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in the south, the heartland of the Taliban waging the war now well into its ninth year.

IEDs are the Taliban`s principle weapon, with the United Nations reporting this month that attacks had risen in the first four months of 2010 by 94 percent over the same period last year.

The US and NATO have 140,000 troops in Afghanistan to acquit a counter-insurgency strategy aimed at speeding an end to the war so foreign troops can begin withdrawing.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Friday he plans to bring troops out by 2015, and US President Barack Obama has said he wants to begin withdrawals in July next year.

BDST: 1333 HRS , June 26, 2010
SIS