[Tokolosh]

Violence in Iraq Kills 10 U.S. Troops

By Ellen Knickmeyer and Debbi Wilgoren
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, October 18, 2006


BAGHDAD, Oct. 18 -- Ten U.S. troops were killed in Iraq on Tuesday, one of the bloodiest days of the war for American forces outside of major combat operations. With nearly two full weeks to go until the end of October, the month is proving to be devastatingly lethal for both U.S. forces and Iraq's military and civilian populations.

At least 68 U.S. troops were killed in the first 2 1/2 weeks of October, according to independent databases and wire service counts; last month, 75 American military personnel were killed.

At the same time, at least 767 Iraqis were killed in war-related violence and sectarian fighting during the first 17 days of this month, according to the Associated Press -- an average of 45 deaths per day, compared to an average daily death toll of about 27 over the last 18 months.

Sectarian clashes in the towns north of Baghdad caused dozens of Iraqi deaths over the weekend, though the situation has begun to calm.

The American service members slain on Tuesday included four soldiers killed by a single bomb in Baghdad and another soldier killed by small-arms fire in the Iraqi capital, the U.S. military said.

North of Baghdad, a soldier was killed when the vehicle he was riding in was struck by a roadside bomb , the military said.

Three soldiers died in the northern province of Diyala and one Marine was killed in the western province of Anbar. The U.S. military gave no details of those deaths, saying only that they came in "enemy action.''

The names of the dead were withheld pending notification of their next of kin.

More than 2,700 American troops and Defense Department employees have died since the war began 3 1/2 years ago.

U.S. military officials have said the surge in violence since this summer could be attributed partly to the increased exposure of American forces as they patrol Baghdad to try to quell reprisal killings between Shiites and Sunnis. The number of troops in the capital has been doubled since June to help in that effort.

Iraqi leaders have said that the increase in attacks on U.S. forces could also stem from calls made by some religious leaders to step up anti-American violence during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.