NATO said on Sunday that seven US troops have died in weekend attacks in Afghanistan’s embattled southern and eastern regions. It further added, in southern Afghanistan two servicemen died in bombing on Sunday, while in a bomb attack in the south of Saturday two others were killed and in the same day three in fighting.

Until relatives could be notified their identities and other details were being withheld. In Afghanistan after July’s high of 66, the latest death brings to 41 the number of American forces who have died this month. Including seven British troops, a total of 61 international forces have died in the country this month. To bring the total number of international forces in Afghanistan to 120,000, fighting is further intensifying with the addition of 30,000 more extra troops.

As part of a gathering drive to push out the Taliban, most of those new troops have been assigned to the southern insurgent stronghold of Kandahar and Helmand provinces where major battles are fought almost daily. In the province of Paktiya NATO said eight insurgents were killed in joint Afghan- NATO operations Saturday night, including a Taliban commander Naman who is accused of coordinating bomb attacks and the movement of fighters, supplies and ammunition.

Along the mountainous border with Pakistan, automatic weapons, grenades, bomb making material and magazines were found in buildings in Zormat district. Pakistan is doing very little to shut down insurgent safe havens in its territory and to prevent cross-border incursions as frequently complained by Afghan leaders.