5 US troops die in blasts in southern Afghanistan

5 US troops die in blasts in southern Afghanistan
By ROBERT H. REID
The Associated Press
Saturday, July 24, 2010; 7:30 AM

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Five American troops died Saturday in bombings in southern Afghanistan where international forces are stepping up the fight against the Taliban, officials said.

Four of the victims died in a single blast, NATO said in a statement without specifying nationalities nor providing further details. A fifth service member was killed in a separate attack in the south, NATO said.

U.S. officials confirmed all five were Americans. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity under rules regarding casualty identification.

The latest deaths bring to 75 the number of international troops killed in Afghanistan this month, including 56 Americans.
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5 US troops die in blasts in southern Afghanistan