KABUL, July 24 (Xinhuanet) -- A US soldier was killed and another injured in an attack by suspected Taliban militants Sunday in southern Afghan province of Helmand, US military said.

    "The US forces were on a regular patrol in northeast Girishk area of Helmand when a group of about 20 enemy forces attacked them, one US soldier was killed and another injured," US spokesperson Cindy Moor told Xinhua.

    "The Afghan interpreter working for US forces was also wounded in the attack. The wounded US soldier and the interpreter were then sent to US airfield in Kandahar for treatment," she added.

    In the fighting back, US troops killed one enemy and wounded another two. The two wounded have also been sent to the Kandahar airfield, Moor said.

    The extra forces and helicopters have already been sent from Kandahar to the area for further investigation, Moor added.

    Taliban raised a surge of attack from early this year especially in eastern and southern provinces with the so-called aim of destroying the country's first parliamentary election slated for Sept. 18. Hundreds of people including civilians, Afghan and US troops and Taliban militants have died since the spring.

    The number of US troops killed in and around Afghanistan has climbed to almost 170 since Operation Enduring Freedom began in 2001.

    After the collapse of Taliban in 2001, about 18,000 US soldiersremained in the mountainous Afghanistan for further investigation and clearance of Taliban remains and other militants. Enditem