Two US soldiers wounded in yesterday's attack were taken to a nearby base for treatment, while the third was treated and returned to duty, the statement said.
''Our patrols of coalition and Afghan forces are relentless in the pursuit of the enemy," Army Brigadier General Jack Sterling said. ''We are deeply saddened by the loss of our soldier and will honor him by continuing to take the fight to the enemy."
The death brought to 149 the number of US military personnel killed in and around Afghanistan since the Taliban were driven from power in 2001.
Even though US military commanders express optimism about progress toward making Afghanistan secure, there has been a sharp rise in bombings, shootings, and other violence since winter's snow melted in mountain passes used by insurgents.
Security forces have hit back hard, killing more than 200 suspected militants since March, US and Afghan officials said.
In Rome yesterday, an Italian aid worker arrived home after being held hostage in Afghanistan for more than three weeks. Clementina Cantoni said she had been treated well, but she expressed concern for detainees still being held.
Cantoni, 32, was released Thursday in Kabul, the Afghan capital, where she had been abducted by armed men May 16. She was working for CARE International on a project helping Afghan widows and their families.
In Kabul, the Afghan government said four people detained because of alleged links to the kidnappers had been questioned and released.
Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was among those gathered at Ciampino military airport in Rome to greet Cantoni. She was taken to Rome's courthouse, where antiterrorism prosecutors questioned her.
