Australia has lost another soldier in Afghanistan.


This is the 39th Australian soldier to have been killed in the war in Afghanistan since 2002.


The soldier's next of kin have been notified.


Australia currently has about 1550 troops deployed to Afghanistan.


In August, the ADF suffered its darkest day since the Vietnam War when it lost five soldiers in two separate incidents. This included two soldiers in a helicopter accident in Helmand Province and three soldiers in a "green on blue" attack north of Tarin Kowt.


Defence Minister Stephen Smith will speak from Sydney later this morning.


This comes as Australian troops prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan, as part of a broader transition from international to Afghan forces.


While special forces - commandos and the SAS - will continue to undertake missions, all Australian regular troops are preparing to vacate the many small bases they have occupied, and in many cases built, in recent years by the start of next year.


With Dylan Welch


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