Bombs kill nine US soldiers in Iraq

Nine US soldiers died in explosions north of Baghdad, the military said today.

All nine were assigned to Task Force Lightning and died yesterday in two separate incidents in the provinces of Salahuddin and Diyala.

Six soldiers were killed when a bomb exploded near their vehicles during a combat operation in Salahuddin, the military said in a statement. Three other soldiers were wounded and transported to an American military hospital for treatment, it said.

In another incident the same day, three more soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in Diyala, another statement said. One soldier was wounded.

Names were withheld pending family notification.