Afghanistan deaths
August 3, 2009
The latest escalation of violence comes as British lawmakers say the Afghan mission lacks a realistic strategy.
The NATO-led International Security Force (ISAF) said the three US soldiers were killed on Sunday in eastern Afghanistan when their patrol was hit by a roadside bomb and then came under fire from insurgents.
The incident comes a day after six foreign troops died in separate attacks in the country, making it one of the worst weekends for foreign forces.
July saw the highest monthly death toll for foreign troops since the ousting of the Taliban in 2001.
Deadly start to election month
The latest escalation of violence comes ahead of presidential elections scheduled for August 20 in Afghanistan. The Taliban have vowed to disrupt the election and have called on Afghans to boycott the ballot.
In a report released on August 2, British lawmakers criticized the military mission in Afghanistan, saying it lacked a realistic strategy and was burdened by too many responsibilities including fighting the drugs trade.
"We recommend that in the immediate future the government should refocus its efforts to concentrate its limited resources on one priority, namely security," lawmakers on the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee said in a published report.
The report also warned that other NATO allies should contribute more to fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan or risk damaging the alliance's reputation.
"The failure of some NATO allies to ensure that the burden of international effort in Afghanistan is shared equitably has placed an unacceptable strain on a handful of countries," parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee said in a report.
The report was issued after Britain suffered the loss of 22 soldiers killed in July, the deadliest month of the war during which Britain and the United States carried out major operations against Taliban insurgents in the southern province of Helmand.
Britain has more than 9,000 troops in Afghanistan, the largest foreign contingent after the United States.
Sp/reuters/ap/dpa
Editor: Andy Valvur