US soldier death toll in Iraq rises to five

Five US soldiers died in Iraq, the US military announced today, including three who were killed in an explosion near their vehicle.

All five were assigned to Task Force Lightning, the military said.

Three were conducting operations yesterday in Kirkuk province, in northern Iraq, when a bomb exploded near their vehicle, the military said in a statement. Another soldier was wounded in the blast.

A fourth soldier was killed by small arms fire the same day in Diyala province, north-east of Baghdad, another statement said.

Another soldier died on Wednesday in a non-combat related incident, which the military said it was investigating.

The victims’ names were withheld pending family notification.