The body of the missing US Navy SEALs member has been found in Afghan eastern province of Kunar during the weekend, according to a US defence official.

The official was quoted by a US media as saying Monday that the soldier was killed in the firefight with the militants, but not captured by Taliban.

However, the spokeswoman of US troops in Afghanistan Cindy Moor said US military still had no idea about the location of the missing soldier.

Four US Navy SEALs members were missing as they carried out the reconnaissance work in Kunar on June 28. US military on the same day sent a Chinook chopper to the place for rescuing them, but ended in tragedy with being shot down by the rocket-propelled grenade. Sixteen US soldiers including eight Navy SEALs members in the chopper died.

More than 300 US soldiers were dispatched to the place for the continued rescue afterwards. Until now, one US soldier has been saved, and other two have been confirmed dead.

Taliban spokesperson Latif Hakimi Saturday said they had captured and beheaded the missing US soldier, and abandoned the body to the mountainous area of Kunar.

US military rejected the news and said the researching work was still going on.

After the collapse of Taliban at the end of 2001, a US-led coalition of over 18,000 soldiers remains in the country hunting down remnants of the Taliban and other Islamic militants. The death of these 19 US soldiers in this accident brings the death toll of US troops to almost 170 in and around Afghanistan since Operation Enduring Freedom began in 2001.

Source: Xinhua