The United States views the election as a key step toward assessing stability in the country as it intensified the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

More US soldiers died in Afghanistan in July than in any other month since the US-led assault to oust the Taliban began in October 2001.

'We are going to keep on putting pressure on' the Taliban and Al Qaeda, Obama said. 'We've got to make sure that we are really focused on finishing the job in Afghanistan, but it's going to take some time.'