U.S. soldier dies of non-combat incident

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: A U.S. soldier was killed in a non-combat incident on Saturday, the 11th U.S. death in Iraq this year, according to the U.S. army on Sunday. “A soldier from the 3rd Division died on non-combat incident on Saturday (Jan. 24),” the U.S. military said in a statement received by IraqiNews.com news agency. The U.S. army had announced on Saturday (Jan. 24) the death of a soldier in a combat incident in southern Iraq. Seven of out of the 11 U.S. fatalities this month have died of non-combat incidents. The announced death brings to 4,232 the number of U.S. soldiers killed since the beginning of military operations in March 2003. The year 2003 saw the death of 486 U.S. soldiers, increasing in 2004 to reach 849 but went down by three in the year 2005 to reach 846. In 2006, a total 822 U.S. soldiers were killed, going up in 2007 to reach a record highest of 904. However, the number of U.S. soldiers killed in 2008 went down dramatically to reach 314. July 2008 is still the month with the lowest number of U.S. deaths in Iraq: 13, including two lost reportedly missing in May 2007 but their bodies were found later on July 9. November 2004, which witnessed fierce confrontations between U.S. forces and armed groups in the volatile city of Falluja, al-Anbar province, western Iraq, is still the record highest as 137 U.S. troops were killed. AmR (S)/SR 1