A Georgian soldier has been killed in Afghanistan, bringing to 11 the number of Georgian troops who have been killed serving with NATO-led forces fighting the Taliban, Georgia’s Defense Ministry said. The soldier was killed in a mine blast in volatile Helmand Province, the Ministry said in a statement. Georgia, which wants to join the NATO military alliance, currently has more than 900 troops serving in Afghanistan. Georgia''s parliament voted on December 20 to almost double its troops in Afghanistan. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen recently said Georgia has "progressed significantly" in its NATO membership bid, but said the country still needs to build on democracy.