KABUL, Sept. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- One US soldier and one US Marine were killed Monday in separate attacks in Afghanistan, the US-led Coalition forces said Tuesday.

    The US soldier was taking part in an Afghan and US forces ground assault operation, west of Kandahar, when insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire at their vehicles, said the Coalition in a news release.

    One other US soldier was wounded in the attack and was taken to Kandahar hospital for treatment where he is listed in stable condition, it added. The unit returned fire killing two insurgents and wounding a third.

    One US Marine was killed in the attack while Coalition forces responded with mortar fire and coalition close air support aircraft.

    "We will continue to aggressively take the fight to the enemy until they are defeated," Brig. Gen. James G. Champion, Combined Joint Task Force 76 Deputy Commanding General, was quoted as saying.

    The deaths bring to 78 the number of US soldiers lost their lives in Afghanistan this year, the bloodiest one since 2001.

    On Sunday, a US army CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed in Deh Chopan district of Zabul province killing all five on board.

    Taliban's remnants that failed to derail the landmark September 18 Afghan parliamentary elections have vowed to continue Jihad or holy war until the US-dominated foreign troops leave Afghanistan. Enditem