By Xinhua
Baghdad : Five US soldiers were killed and seven others wounded in an ambush in southern Baghdad, the US military said Friday.
The attack took place on Thursday when insurgents detonated a roadside bomb near the soldiers' patrol, which was followed by small arms fire and a rocket propelled grenade attack.
"All of the wounded soldiers were evacuated to a combat support hospital following the attack. One soldier has returned to duty," the statement said.
The latest deaths bring the number of US soldiers killed in Iraq during this month to 99, and the total number killed since combat operations began in 2003 to more than 3,575, according to Pentagon figures.