KABUL, June 11 (Xinhuanet) -- One US soldier and seven militants were killed Friday after an ambush on Coalition and Afghan patrol in Afghan southeastern province of Paktika, US military said in a statement.

    Three US soldiers were also wounded in the fighting. Two were evacuated to a nearby forward operating base and the third was treated and returned to duty at the scene, said the statement.

    "Our patrols of Coalition and Afghan forces are relentless in the pursuit of the enemy," said US Army Brig. Gen. Jack Sterlingin the statement.

    Remnants of the former Taliban regime who vowed to continue Jihad or holy war against the US-dominated foreign troops in Afghanistan intensified their activities in which over 100 including militants, Afghan and US troops had been killed over thepast two months.

    One American soldier was killed and eight others injured as they came under mortar attack in the same province of Paktika on June 8.

    After collapse of Taliban in late 2001, a US-led coalition of over 18,000 soldiers remained in the country hunting down remnantsof the Taliban and other Islamic militants. There have been about 150 US troops killed in and around Afghanistan since Operation Enduring Freedom began in 2001. Enditem