July deadliest month for US in Afghanistan War

Three US troops died in two separate blasts yesterday, and three more died today, increasing the American death toll in Afghanistan for July to 66, and making this month the deadliest month for American involvement in the nine-year war.

A NATO statement released on Friday stated that three troops had been killed by two blasts, and US officials said those killed were Americans. Another NATO statement released today confirmed the deaths of three more troops.

Though this month has been deadliest for the US, June was the most deadly month for NATO as a whole, with 104 troops, including 60 Americans, killed. In this month, 86 troops have been killed, including the 66 aforementioned Americans. The death totals for Taliban fighters and Afghan civilians have been harder to count, although in recent months, civilian casualties have been on the rise.

As US President Barack Obama ordered 30,000 extra reinforcements to beat back a rising Taliban, casualties have increased as well, as US and NATO commanders had warned. There are currently over 150,000 NATO and US troops in the Asian country. However, President Obama has promised to begin withdrawing troops in about a year's time.