Tbilisi:
A Georgian soldier has been killed while serving with NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, the Defence Ministry said on Friday.
The death of 22-year-old Corporal Mindia Abashidze brings to 18 the number of Georgian troops killed in Afghanistan.
"Corporal Abashidze died while carrying out a combat assignment within the framework of the peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan," the Defence Ministry said in a statement, without giving the date of his death.
Georgia is a staunch ally of the United States with ambitions to join NATO and currently has 800 troops serving in Afghanistan - the second largest deployment by a non-NATO member.
Tbilisi's NATO aspirations have infuriated neighbour Russia, which fought a brief war with Georgia in 2008.
After defeating President Mikheil Saakashvili's pro-Western party in parliamentary elections this month, victorious coalition leader Bidzina Ivanishvili said he would continue Georgia's bid to join the military alliance although he also vowed to repair relations with Moscow.
The death of 22-year-old Corporal Mindia Abashidze brings to 18 the number of Georgian troops killed in Afghanistan.
"Corporal Abashidze died while carrying out a combat assignment within the framework of the peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan," the Defence Ministry said in a statement, without giving the date of his death.
Georgia is a staunch ally of the United States with ambitions to join NATO and currently has 800 troops serving in Afghanistan - the second largest deployment by a non-NATO member.
Tbilisi's NATO aspirations have infuriated neighbour Russia, which fought a brief war with Georgia in 2008.
After defeating President Mikheil Saakashvili's pro-Western party in parliamentary elections this month, victorious coalition leader Bidzina Ivanishvili said he would continue Georgia's bid to join the military alliance although he also vowed to repair relations with Moscow.
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