A Georgian soldier serving in NATO-led operations in Afghanistan “is missing” since December 19, the Georgian Ministry of Defense said on Thursday.

“Circumstances are not known yet,” MoD said in a brief statement on its website.

It said that Regional Command Southwest, whose area of responsibility is Helmand and Nimroz provinces, “is conducting search and rescue operation”.

“All Georgian units in theater are moved to the highest security alert posture,” MoD said, adding that it was not appropriate to give more details due to ongoing search and rescue operation.

Georgia currently has two battalions in the Helmand province of Afghanistan – 12th battalion of the first infantry brigade and 32nd battalion of the third infantry brigade; for the latter it is a second tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Georgia has lost total of eighteen soldiers in Afghanistan since joining ISAF mission in November, 2009, seven of them this year.