August Deadliest Month for US in Afghanistan

A bomb blast in Afghanistan killed an American service member today, making August the deadliest month of the 8-year war for US forces. The service member's vehicle struck a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan, NATO forces said, bringing the number of troops killed in August to 45, one more than the total in July.

More than 60,000 US troops are in Afghanistan—a record number—to fight rising insurgent violence. Attacks typically rise in the country during the summer fighting season, and US officials had warned that violence was likely to increase as 21,000 additional troops poured in this summer. The forces have faced a surge in roadside bombs as they move into Taliban strongholds in the south. (More Afghanistan stories.)