US Soldier Dies After Sustaining Injuries In Combat Operation In Afghanistan - Pentagon

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published January 18, 2019 | 07:13 PM

A US soldier has died after sustaining injuries in a combat operation earlier this month in Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced in a press release on Friday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2019) A US soldier has died after sustaining injuries in a combat operation earlier this month in Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced in a press release on Friday.

"The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel," the release said. "Sgt. Cameron A. Meddock, 26, of Spearman, Texas, died Jan. 17, 2019, in Landstuhl, Germany, as a result of injuries sustained from small arms fire during combat operations on Jan. 13, 2019, in Jawand District, Badghis Province, Afghanistan."

Afghanistan has long been suffering from an unstable political, social and security situation due to the activity of various terrorist and radical groups. The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, supported by a US-led coalition, are conducting joint offensive operations to combat terrorism across the country.

Earlier in January, the media reported that the United States plans to withdraw around 7,000 out of its 14,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan, however, the direct-action Special Operations Forces (SOF) will remain in the country to continue strike missions against the Taliban militants and the Islamic State terror group (IS, banned in Russia),

Rumors about Washington's alleged plans to pull its forces out of Afghanistan emerged in December in the wake of US President Donald Trump's announcement of troops withdrawal from Syria due to the defeat of the IS there.

However, the White House has dismissed these claims, saying that Trump had not ordered to reduce the US military presence in Afghanistan.

There are currently around 14,000 US troops on top of around 16,000 servicemen from NATO and partner states deployed in Afghanistan. The forces are engaged in a training and support mission for the Afghan military there.