The U.S. military Saturday announced the deaths of nine more American service members in Iraq, most of them in combat operations. Two soldiers died Friday and three others were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded near their patrol in east Baghdad, The Associated Press quoted the military as saying in a statement. Two other soldiers were killed and two were wounded Friday by a roadside bomb explosion during their foot patrol in southern Baghdad, the military added. A U.S. soldier and an Iraqi interpreter were killed Friday when an explosively formed penetrator exploded near their patrol in southeastern Baghdad, the military said. Three soldiers were wounded. Another soldier died Friday of non-battle-related cause and his death is under investigation, the military said without giving further details. Three other service members were killed in fighting Thursday _ two Marines in western Anbar province and a soldier in Baghdad, the command said. The deaths bring to 3,601 the number of members of the U.S. military who have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
