A Georgia marine fighting insurgents in the widely-publicized coalition offensive in Marja, Afghanistan has died.

21-year-old Pfc. Jason Estopinal of Dallas died Monday.

He was among NATO forces including American, British, and Afghani soldiers who began pushing their way into the 80-square-mile region of Helmand Province Saturday.

The Department of Defense says Estopinal joined the Marines a year ago and arrived in Afghanistan in December.

He was based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.

His division arrived in Aghanistan last October, before President Barack Obama committed to increasing the number of American troops in that region.

A Defense Department spokesman says they will not release the nature of Pfc.’s Estopinal’s injuries out of respect for his family and also to avoid letting the Taliban know details of their impact on American soldiers.

Tags: Marine, Afghanistan, war, obama, terror, NATO, Dallas, Pfc. Jason Estapinol, Taliban