WASHINGTON, Nov 22: The US Defence Department on Monday announced the recent deaths of a soldier and five marines from its forces in Iraq, including three who died after being transferred out of the country for treatment.

All had been on duty in Al-Anbar province which includes the city of Fallujah, where US forces say they are completing a major operation to eject insurgents, said a Pentagon statement.

Two marines, identified as Corporal Bradley Arms, 20, and Lance Corporal Demarkus Brown, 22, died on Friday in Al-Anbar. The others died in US military hospitals in Germany and Washington.

Corporal Joseph Heredia, 22, and Lance Corporal Joseph Welke, 20, died Saturday in a military hospital in Germany. Both had been wounded since the Fallujah operation was launched. -AFP