Two US soldiers were killed yesterday when their armoured vehicle drove over a mine in northwest Iraq during an offensive against insurgents, the US military said today.
Fourteen other soldiers were wounded in the blast.
The marines were taking part in "Operation Matador", an offensive against insurgents and foreign fighters in northwestern Iraq near the Syrian border.
Since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, at least 1,231 US military and Pentagon personnel have been killed in action in Iraq. Including non-combat deaths, the toll is 1,609.