Three US soldiers killed in southern Iraq

June 30, 2011

30 June 2011 Last updated at 08:13

Three US soldiers were killed in action in southern Iraq on Wednesday, the

military has said.

The deaths make June the deadliest month for American soldiers in the country in

two years.

The US military said they died as the result of a " hostile event " but gave few

further details.

However, one report said the three died when a rocket hit a US base near the

Iranian border.

An unnamed US military official quoted by the Associated Press said that the

type of weapon used bore the hallmarks of a Shia militia with strong links to

Iran.

The independent icasualties count of US service member fatalities in Iraq now

stands at 4,469.

US fatalities in Iraq have been rare since Washington officially ended combat

operations in the country last August, leaving about 45,000 troops.

The role of the US army, which is due to pull out of Iraq on 31 December, is to

advise and help the security forces.

But both US and Iraqi governments are now considering extending the deadline of

troops leaving the country partly, analysts say, to counter Iran's influence.

There have been several attacks blamed on Shia militias aiming to force the

military out.

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