Four US, Three British Troops Killed in Afghan Roadside Bombings

Four US and three British troops were killed as a result of roadside bomb attacks in Afghanistan in the past 24 hours, said reports citing officials on Friday, as violence continued escalate in the run-up to landmark presidential polls scheduled for later this month.

The British casualties took place in the violent Helmand province when their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb and ambushed with gunfire on Thursday, the British Defence Ministry said.

According to the US military, four American service members were killed when their vehicle struck a homemade bomb in an unspecified area in western Afghanistan.

The latest casualties take the number of western fatalities in the first week of the month to 18. In July, the worst month in terms of loss of life for foreign troops, 76 deaths were recorded.

Presidential polls in the country are scheduled to for August 20.