KABUL - A NATO soldier died in an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan Thursday, the military alliance said, the first casualty of this month after a toll of more than 100 deaths in June.

The soldier died "following an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan today," NATO`s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement, without giving further details.

A total of 102 foreign soldiers died as a result of the Afghan war in June, making it the deadliest month for international forces since the conflict began at the end of 2001.

June`s toll was almost triple the figure for May and significantly higher than the previous monthly record of 77 last August.

But senior military commanders, including the new commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan, US General David Petraeus, have warned of a fierce summer of fighting to come.

So far this year 323 foreign soldiers have died in Afghanistan, compared to 520 for the whole 2009, according to an AFP count based on the independent icasualties.org website.

The website tracks military deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq, two US-led wars involving Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist militants.

There are about 140,000 foreign, mostly US, forces stationed in Afghanistan. The troops are battling Taliban and other insurgents who are trying to topple the government of President Hamid Karzai.

BDST: 1802 HRS, 1 July,2010