2 U.S. troops killed in northern Iraq

BAGHDAD (AP)  The U.S. military says two American troops have been killed in northern Iraq while conducting operations.

The military said in a statement that the service members were killed Sunday.

No further details were immediately available, and the names of the dead are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The deaths bring to 4,465 the number of American troops who have died in Iraq. That's according to an Associated Press count.

Eleven American troops have died this month in combat related situations. The casualty figure is the highest number of combat related deaths since May 2009 when American forces were still operating freely in Iraqi cities.

Most of the deaths have happened in Baghdad and southern Iraq reflecting the increased threat of Shiite militias to departing U.S. forces.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.