KABUL, Afghanistan, July 1 (UPI) -- June was the deadliest month of the year for international forces serving in the NATO-led intervention in Afghanistan, a casualty monitoring group said.
There were 27 reported troop fatalities in June in Afghanistan. The majority of those fatalities were U.S. soldiers. June 19 was the deadliest day in Afghanistan for U.S. forces with four soldiers killed, iCasualties.org reported Monday.
There were no U.S. troop fatalities recorded during the weekend.
NATO announced in June it handed security responsible over to Afghan national forces as it shifted its role in the country to that of an advisory force. International forces are scheduled to end their combat operations in Afghanistan next year.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague, in a regular report to Parliament, said Afghan forces will be put to the test in the coming months as the fighting season enters full swing. He said Afghan troops were combat ready in some regards, but needed more help in areas like air support.
The last British combat fatality record by iCasualties.org was a 25-year-old private killed by enemy fire in Helmand province in April.
