A U.S. soldier was killed Wednesday evening when his vehicle struck a Soviet-era land mine near Bermel in Paktika Province, Afghanistan.

U.S. authorities said no other injuries were reported in the blast, which occurred about 7:15 p.m. Initial reports indicated the mine was exposed by recent rain in the area and did not appear to be deliberately placed. The soldier’s name and unit won’t be released until the family is notified.

“Today, coalition forces mourn the loss of one of our fine, brave warriors,” Brig. Gen. James Terry, Combined Joint Task Force deputy commanding general, stated in a press release. “This tragic incident serves to remind our troops that Afghanistan remains a dangerous region due to many years of war, and it’s time for reconstruction.”

The Soviets laid thousands of mines during their occupation of the country that ended in the 1980s. Some were then uncovered and reused by Afghan factions against each other.

Many have been removed by militaries or nongovernmental organizations, but there are still an unknown number of the mines left in the ground. The U.S. is removing similar mines at Bagram Air Base.

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