The U.S. military says an American service member has been killed by insurgent fire in southern Afghanistan, AP reported.
July was already the bloodiest month for U.S. forces in the eight-year Afghan war, but Friday's death brings the monthly toll for Americans to 42.
A NATO release said Friday the trooper died from wounds inflicted the day before in the south of the country, where U.S. and British forces have launched an offensive against the Taliban.
U.S. military spokesman Navy reservist Lt. Tommy Groves confirmed that the service member was American.