The three US troops were part of a patrol in eastern Afghanistan that was struck by a homemade bomb and then ambushed with gunfire, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement.

"The patrol responded to the attack but three service members died in the engagement," it said in a statement.

ISAF, made up of around 64,000 troops from 40 nations, does not release the nationalities of its casualties but the US military in Kabul said the three were from its ranks.

Two other ISAF troops were killed when two bomb blasts struck their patrol in the south on Saturday, the alliance announced separately. They were not US nationals, the US military said, without being able to identify them.

The soldiers were killed the same day one French and three US soldiers in separate attacks already announced by ISAF.

"Yesterday was a very tough day for ISAF as we lost more brave soldiers who were striving to provide security to the Afghan population," the force said in a statement.

Seventy-five international troops were killed last month, most of them in attacks, according to the independent www.icasualties.org website, making July the deadliest month for troops since the US led invasion in 2001.

There are more than 100,000 international troops in Afghanistan mainly deployed under NATO and a separate US-led coalition that is trying to tackle mounting violence from a Taliban-led insurgency.

The troops have intensified operations against insurgent strongholds in preparation for the historic presidential elections set for August 20.

The unrest has raised concerns that the rebels might turn to direct their attacks on the election, especially in southern and eastern Afghanistan where the insurgency is its most intense.

The Taliban, the main insurgent group behind the Al-Qaeda-supported insurgency, has called on Afghans to boycott the presidential vote which is only the second in the history of the troubled country.

earlier related report
French soldier killed in Afghanistan: military
A French soldier was killed and two wounded in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan Saturday, the French military said, in a mounting toll for international military forces fighting Taliban insurgents.

Around 230 French, US and Afghan troops came under fire in the Kapisa province, northeast of Kabul, as they were on an operation with Afghan troops, the French military in Afghanistan said in a statement.

"One French soldier was hit and died of the injury. Immediately the troops returned fire and counter-attacked the insurgents," the statement said.

"The fighting lasted one and a half hours and two other French soldiers were wounded. The insurgents eventually retreated."

France has lost 29 soldiers in Afghanistan since 2001, it said.

The incident was confirmed in Paris with a statement from the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

"The president learned with deep regret of the death today of a French soldier in Afghanistan," the statement from the Elysee Palace said.

More than 230 international troops have lost their lives in Afghanistan this year in an escalating conflict with Taliban-led militants that has peaked just weeks ahead of August 20 presidential elections.

Last month was the deadliest for the US-majority international forces since they deployed to Afghanistan in late 2001 to remove the Taliban regime.

Seventy-five soldiers were killed, most of them in attacks, according to the independent www.icasualties.org website.

There are more than 100,000 international soldiers in Afghanistan, according to Pentagon figures. This includes around 2,900 French troops deployed to a NATO force.

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