Militant booby trap kills Utah soldier, hurts 11 in Afghan fight

KABUL, Afghanistan — An American soldier was killed and at least 11 others were wounded in a battle with Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said.

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

And in three southern provinces, Taliban attacks Wednesday killed 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 that 11 other National Guardsmen were among the wounded. The names were withheld pending notification of family members.

The Utah soldier was clearing a building when a booby trap exploded, killing him and injuring 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 from the U.S. Army Special Forces qualification course with honors 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.

On Tuesday, the Taliban released an “open letter” to President Donald Trump, reiterating their calls for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan after 16 years of war and warning against new U.S. military buildup in Afghanistan.