WASHINGTON The number of American-led coalition forces killed in Afghanistan in June reached 102, the wars highest monthly toll, the US military said. The Pentagon said the increase in deaths was attributed in part to expanded military operations against the Taliban, USA Today reported Thursday. The deaths included a record 59 US troops, Pentagon statistics indicated. Nine of the 46 nations in the US-led international military intervention reported losses, the largest number of countries to report fatalities since the war began nearly nine years ago. The statistics were released after President Obama nominated Gen David Petraeus as the wars new ground commander. My sense is that the tough fighting will continue, Petraeus said during his Senate confirmation hearing before he was confirmed 99-0 by the full chamber earlier this week. It may get more intense in the next few months. The death toll for June also had the most troops killed in battle from NATO nations other than the United States, USA Today said. Britain, where liberal members of Parliament are calling for the withdrawal of the countrys troops, lost 20 soldiers. British Defence Minister Liam Fox said European coalition members must stay in Afghanistan until al-Qaeda no longer poses a threat in that country. We must hold our nerve ... and have the resilience to see the job through, he said.