At least 853 American military personnel dead in Iraq so far this year — highest annual toll since war began in March 2003, according to AP figureshttp://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3468504,00.html<
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"The US military on Tuesday announced the deaths of five more soldiers and one sailor, making 2007 the deadliest year for US troops despite a recent downturn, according to an Associated Press count.
At least 853 American military personnel have died in Iraq so far this year — the highest annual toll since the war began in March 2003, according to AP figures."
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"Five US soldiers were killed Monday in two separate roadside bomb attacks, said Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, director of the Multi-National Force-Iraq's communications division.
"We lost five soldiers yesterday in two unfortunate incidents, both involving IEDs," Smith told reporters in Baghdad's heavily-guarded Green Zone. Later, the military said four of the soldiers died after an explosion near their vehicle in Kirkuk province, and one was killed in Anbar.
In a third statement, American forces said a sailor died of injuries from an explosion Monday in Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad.
With nearly two months left in the year, the US toll has already surpassed that of 2004, when 850 troops died — mostly in larger, more conventional battles like the campaign to cleanse Fallujah of Sunni militants in November, and US clashes with Shiite militiamen in the sect's holy city of Najaf in August."