BAGHDAD (AFP) - Three US soldiers have been killed in Iraq, the US military announced on Thursday, making them the first American casualties of the new year. A military statement said two soldiers were killed in a small-arms fire attack while conducting operations in Diyala province on Thursday. Another soldier was wounded.
A separate statement said another soldier was killed when his foot patrol was struck by a roadside bomb south of Baghdad on Wednesday.
The latest deaths bring the total number of American soldiers killed since the 2003 US-led invasion to 3,905, according to an AFP tally based on Pentagon figures.
The month of December saw the second lowest monthly US casualty toll of the war, with 21 soldiers killed.
The year 2007, however, proved the deadliest year for the US military since the invasion, with at least 896 soldiers killed,