Kabul - A French soldier of the international force in Afghanistan was killed in a mine explosion in Kabul Saturday, military sources said.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed that one of its soldiers was killed in a mine explosion, but did not identify the nationality of the soldier.

However, a NATO military source, who did not want to be named because he was not authorized to talk to media, said that the dead soldier was French.

The sources did not elaborate on how the incident took place or who was behind the attack.

Taliban militants have been carrying out roadside and suicide attacks as part of their campaign against Afghan and international forces in the country.

The death brought to 25 the number of French soldiers killed in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001.

Last August, ten French soldiers were killed and several wounded when their military convoy was attacked by insurgents in Sarobi district, some 50 kilometres east of Kabul. dpa