U.S. soldier killed in battle with IS in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan -- An American soldier was killed, and several others were wounded in a battle with Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said.

The military said in a statement several Afghan forces also were wounded in the fighting Wednesday in the Achin district of the Nangarhar province, a militant stronghold.

It did not specify how many forces were wounded.

In three southern provinces, Taliban attacks on Wednesday killed a total of three civilians and 15 Afghan policemen, Afghan officials said Thursday.

The Utah National Guard said the American soldier who died was one of its members, and 11 other National Guardsmen were among the wounded.

Their names were withheld pending notification of family members.

The soldier who died was clearing a building when a booby trap exploded, killed him and injured the other 11 members of the team, said Utah Gov. Gary Herbert.

The wounded soldiers were evacuated for medical treatment.

The family of the slain solider identified him as Aaron Butler, 27, of Monticello, Utah.

His father, Randy Butler, said in a statement he was a champion high-school wrestler who became a Green Beret after graduating with honors from the U.S. Army Special Forces qualification course in 2016.

Islamic State militants have gained a foothold in recent years in Afghanistan, where they have battled U.S.-backed government forces as well as the more established Taliban.

The IS affiliate largely consists of disgruntled former Taliban insurgents and has clashed with the larger group over leadership and ideology.