Six American forces serving under NATO's International Security Assistance Force were killed in an insurgent ambush while patrolling in eastern Afghanistan, a NATO spokesman told CNN on Saturday. In addition, eight other NATO soldiers were wounded. It was not immediately clear whether those were Americans.The U.S. troops were on joint-foot patrol with Afghan National Army soldiers -- three of whom were killed and 11 who were wounded, NATO said. The combined forces came under fire from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades during the "ambush."
In response, NATO said forces fired back with small-arms, machine guns, mortars, artillery and close-air support. At least one insurgent was killed in the clashes.
Violence in Afghanistan this year is the deadliest for U.S. troops since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion. So far this year 100 U.S. military personnel have died due mainly to insurgency-related violence, according to a CNN count based on figures from the U.S.-led NATO and Coalition.