Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq During Mission: U.S. Military Sources

BAGHDAD, April 22, 2011 - Two U.S. soldiers have been killed during a mission in southern Iraq, the U.S. military said on Saturday. 

With these two recent deaths the total number of U.S. soldiers fatalities raised to 4,450 who have died in Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion to throw out Saddam Hussein.

According to icasualties.org; 60 members of the U.S. military were killed in Iraq in 2010, which is the smallest number since 2003.

Less than 50,000 US troops remain in the country, but a security agreement between Baghdad and Washington requires that they be withdrawn by the end of 2011.

The latest casualties came the same day as the top American military officer said on a visit to Baghdad that Iraq has just "weeks" to decide if it needs US troops to stay beyond the year-end deadline.