US Deaths in Afghanistan Makes 2008 Deadliest Year

US deaths in Afghanistan makes 2008 deadliest year since 2001 invasion

Militants killed two U.S. troops in eastern Afghanistan on the anniversary of 9/11, making 2008 the deadliest year for American forces in the country that sheltered al-Qaida while it plotted the terror attacks on New York and Washington.

The NATO-led force said one soldier was killed when insurgents attacked a compound. The separate U.S.-led coalition said a second service member died in combat. No other details were released, but a Western military official told The Associated Press that both troops were American.

Thursday's deaths brings to 113 the number of troops who have died in Afghanistan, surpassing last year's record toll of 111, according to an AP tally. Last year's count included one American killed just over the border in Pakistan.

Afghanistan was the launching pad for al-Qaida's terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. In response, U.S. forces invaded in October 2001 and drove the Taliban out of power in a matter of weeks. abcnews