Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Six U.S. service members were killed in southern Afghanistan in the past two days, the NATO-led command said, making the death toll in July the deadliest month for American forces since the war in Afghanistan started nine years ago.
On Friday, one service member died in an insurgent attack and the two others in an improvised explosive device strike, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said. On Thursday, IEDs killed two troops in one incident and another service member in another, ISAF said.
Their deaths bring the July tally to 66. A total of 88 international service members, including Americans, have died this month.
It is no coincidence that IEDs caused most of the latest deaths. Taliban militants regularly target troops with improvised explosive devices. The homemade bombs are considered the weapon of choice for insurgents in the Afghan conflict. The military regularly conducts raids targeting those who stage the attacks against troops.
The latest grim milestone comes amid growing frustration among U.S. citizens over Washington's strategy in the Afghanistan war, the leak of thousands of secret documents about the war, and the dismissal of Gen. Stanley McChrystal as the top military commander.
CNN
