Four US Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan, Now Deadliest Month Ever

Four US soldiers were killed Monday by a road-side bomb in eastern Afghanistan. Thirty American soldiers have been killed this month, making July the deadliest month since the war in Afghanistan began.

Military officials confirmed that all those killed were Americans, but offered no additional details. The deaths come amid an announcement by Defense Secretary Gates that he plans to increase the size of the United States Army by up to 22,000 troops during the next three years, increasing from the current 547,000 to a maximum of 569,000. July has also been the deadliest month for the U.S.-led coalition composed mainly of American, British, and Canadian forces. 55 soldiers all together have lost their lives in the conflict this month. The news is the latest coming from war-torn Afghanistan, which has topped headlines almost everyday for a week. The increase in deaths and incidents is likely related to "the first major operation under U.S. President Barack Obama's new regional strategy to defeat the Taliban and its militant Islamist allies in the region and stabilize Afghanistan."