Two US Soldiers, First US Fatalities in 2011 in Iraq

Following a deadly year for US- led forces in the occupied Iraq, on the third day of the new year 2011, US suffers first deaths in the war-hit country.

Two US soldiers have been killed in central Iraq.

"Two US service members were killed in central Iraq Sunday night," AFP quoted a Monday statement from the US military as saying.

"This was one incident resulting in the death of two US service members. These are the first deaths of any US service member in 2011," a spokeswoman for the military said.

She declined further details about the identity of the soldiers and how they were killed.

In August 2010, the US declared an end to its combat mandate in Iraq but left 50,000 of its troops in the country to "advise and train" Iraqi security forces before they are withdrawn by the end of 2011.