Three NATO occupation soldiers were killed in Afghanistan Sunday, taking the death toll of troops killed in the war-torn country so far this year to 228.

Three NATO occupation soldiers were killed in Afghanistan Sunday, taking the death toll of troops killed in the war-torn country so far this year to 228.

Two of the soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed in the east. International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said that the cause of the crash was being investigated.
The Taliban movement claimed credit for bringing down the helicopter.

 Its spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said it came down in Khost province, which borders Pakistan. Afghan media, citing eyewitnesses, also said the helicopter crashed in Khost.

Meanwhile in southern Afghanistan, another soldier was killed "following an insurgent attack", ISAF said.

 The latest casualties brought the foreign military death toll to at least 228 so far this year, according to independent website iCasualties.org. A total of 711 were killed last year.