The U.S. military says two American soldiers were killed in central Iraq Friday, the first fatalities since June, the deadliest month for U.S. service members in two years.

The military gave no other details. The U.S. usually withholds the names of killed soldiers until their families have been notified.

Fifteen U.S. troops died last month in Iraq. It was the highest number of military deaths in the country since May 2009 when American forces were still operating in Iraqi cities.

Nearly 50,000 American troops are still in Iraq, but an agreement between Washington and Baghdad stipulates they will withdraw from the country entirely by the end of 2011.

Voanews