KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN (BNO NEWS) — A Kentucky-based Tennessee soldier was killed in a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan on Friday, the U.S. Department of Defense announced on Sunday.

The death was previously reported, but his identity was not released until Sunday. The U.S. Department of Defense identified him as Specialist Michael L. Stansbery, 21, of Mount Juliet, a city located in Wilson County, Tennessee.

Stansbery was assigned to 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. He died of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device (IED).

A second American service member, whose identity has not yet been released, was also killed in the same attack.

Coalition casualties in Afghanistan have been rising sharply this year, with around 90 service members being killed in July alone. It was the deadliest month for U.S. forces since the war began.

Also on Sunday, two coalition service members were killed in two separate attacks in southern Afghanistan. One of them died following an insurgent attack, while the second service member was killed as a result of an IED explosion. Their nationalities have not been released yet.

(Copyright 2010 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)