(ANSA) - Rome, December 31 - An Italian soldier was killed in Afghanistan on Friday, bringing to 35 Italy's death toll since it began its Afghan mission in 2004.

The soldier is thought to have been shot by a sniper in the western Afghan district of Gulistan, in an area called Box Tripoli which Italy took over from US forces earlier this year.

US Commander David Petraeus recently praised the "notable success" Italian forces have had since assuming command there.

The death, Italy's 13th this year, was the first since four soldiers were killed in October in an attack that sparked renewed calls from some leftwing politicians centre-left for an immediate withdrawal.

The government rejected those calls and said Italy would stay the course alongside its NATO allies.

Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has said Italy will gradually start pulling its troops out of Afghanistan next spring, aiming to complete the withdrawal in 2014.

The pull-out, he said, will be carried out "at the right time and will be totally coordinated with our allies".

The October 9 attack also spurred a debate on arming Italy's warplanes with bombs, like its NATO allies.

But Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa eventually announced at last month's NATO summit in Lisbon the planes would not be fitted with missiles in the face of opposition in Italy and Afghanistan which highlighted fears for the safety of civilians.

A poll last year showed a majority of Italians now thought the Italian mission had turned from a peacekeeping one into a war operation, overstepping the terms of its parliamentary mandate.

Italian ministers have performed a balancing act in insisting that troops are only used in support of NATO missions.

More Italian troops are being subjected to insurgent attacks as militants are driven out of southern Afghanistan.

Italy committed to United States President Barack Obama's surge and is set to push its troop strength up from 3,400 to 4,000 shortly.

Many of them will be military trainers.