One coalition soldier and five Taliban militants were killed in a conflict in the troubled Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, Griffith Miller, a spokesman of coalition forces, said Friday.

"One coalition soldier was killed and another injured as the enemies opened fire on a patrol team in Baghran district yesterday afternoon. The coalition forces returned fire, killing five enemies," Miller told a group of journalists in Kandahar.

The injured soldier had been taken to Kandahar's coalition hospital for treatment, he said.

However, Miller declined to identify the killed soldier's nationality.

It possibly could be a member of UK forces, as over 3,000 British soldiers are taking charge of anti-terror and security affairs in volatile Helmand, which is famous for illegal drug production and insurgents' activities.

The British army had already lost six soldiers in this war-torn country over the past month.

Taliban-linked insurgency has claimed over 1,000 lives, most of whom are Taliban-linked militants, since the beginning of this year. About 50 coalition soldiers are also killed.

Source: Xinhua