Deadly day for British in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 10 (UPI) -- At least six British soldiers were killed Friday in Helmand Province, bringing the number of U.K. combat deaths in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion to 184.

The toll for the British military in Afghanistan is higher than in Iraq, where 179 soldiers have been killed, The Times of London reported. More soldiers were killed in ground operations Friday than on any day since military operations began.

Two British soldiers were killed Thursday.

"This is a very hard summer," Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, responding to the recent deaths while attending the Group of Eight summit in Italy.

Brown said Britain and other countries must maintain their commitment in Afghanistan.

The number of British casualties in Afghanistan jumped upward in May as the Taliban began to use more powerful improvised explosive devices.