NATO says 3 US service members killed in southern Afghanistan; makes 5 deaths Saturday

NATO: 3 US service members killed in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan — Three US service members were killed in recent attacks in southern Afghanistan, the military coalition said Sunday.

All three died Saturday, bringing the day’s death toll for NATO to five.

Two of the Americans died in an insurgent attack, while the third was killed by a bomb blast, NATO said in statements. The military coalition did not provide further details.

The Danish government previously announced two of its soldiers were killed Saturday when their vehicle struck a bomb in southern Helmand province.

This has been a particularly bloody summer for NATO forces in Afghanistan amid a troop surge and a vigorous Taliban counteroffensive. June was the deadliest month for NATO forces of the nearly 9-year war with 103 killed. For the U.S. contingent alone, July brought the highest-ever death toll of 66 killed.

Including the latest deaths, 11 NATO service members have been killed so far in August.

Also Saturday, insurgents killed three Afghan civilians in separate incidents, NATO forces said. One was killed in a bomb attack in Helmand, another in an attack on a NATO outpost in Kunar province and the third in a bomb explosion in Uruzgan province.