US soldier captured by militants in Afghanistan

US Marines launched a major offensive into the Taliban heartlands of southern Afghanistan early on Thursday. Operation Khanjar involved nearly 4,000 US forces as well as 650 Afghan police and soldiers, the Marine Expeditionary Brigade said. — AFP/Manpreet

KABUL: A US soldier is believed to be have been captured by militants in eastern Afghanistan, the first such event on American troops in combat operations in recent years.

According to AFP, a commander of the Taliban's hardline Haqqani faction were responsible for the abduction. 'One of our commanders named Mawlawi Sangin has captured a coalition soldier along with his three Afghan guards in Yousuf Khail district of Paktika province,' the commander, named only Bahram, told AFP.

The soldier has been missing from his unit since June 30th, US military spokesperson Captain Elizabeth Mathias said.  She added that US forces were using ‘all our resources to find him and provide for his safe return.’

The soldier was not taking part in Operation Khanjar – a major military operation launched in the Helmand province on Thursday. No further information has been provided