Pentagon identifies US soldier killed in eastern Afghanistan

The US Department of Defence has identified a soldier who was killed in combat in Afghanistan's eastern Kapisa province on Monday.

In a statement late Tuesday, the Pentagon said 22-year-old Gabriel Conde from Colourado was killed by small arms fire during a firefight with the ‘enemy’ in Tagab district.

It had earlier said that another US soldier was also injured in the incident and was being treated at Bagram airfield, the largest US base in the war-torn country.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday claimed that six US soldiers and seven members of the Afghan security forces were killed in the firefight.

The militants are known to exaggerate casualty numbers.

US has 11,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, some of whom are conducting anti-terrorism operations against al-Qaeda, Taliban and Islamic State militants.