Australian killed in Afghanistan

Eight Australian soldiers have died in Afghanistan since 2001

An Australian soldier has been killed in Afghanistan by a Taleban rocket attack, the Australian Defence Department says.

The soldier, who was not named, was killed instantly when a rocket exploded in a compound in Afghanistan's southern province of Uruzgan.

A group of Australian soldiers was stationed at an Afghan base there.

The casualty was the eighth suffered by Australian forces in Afghanistan since their deployment there in 2001.

The soldier had been in the country only a few weeks.

"Fighting in the war in Afghanistan continues as an important part of the fight against terrorism, the fight against al-Qaeda," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told reporters in Sydney.

"It's also part and parcel of our obligation to our allies and friends, given that this war in Afghanistan began following the terrorist attack on September 11 by al Qaida, resulting in the murder of thousands of innocent civilians."

Australia has about 1,000 troops in Afghanistan and Mr Rudd said that the government had no plans to add more.

About 70,000 international troops are in Afghanistan, and more than 290 have been killed, following the invasion by a US-led coalition to overthrow the Taleban in 2001.