Three American marines and two interpreters were killed on Thursday in Anbar province, the U.S. military said on Friday.
A military statement said the victims were killed "in action against an enemy force" in the province.
The statement did not say exactly where the victims were killed in the province, but Iraqi police said that they were killed in the suicide bomb attack in the town of Garmah near the city of Fallujah, some 50 km west of Baghdad.
U.S. troops were attending a meeting with local tribal anti Qaida Awakening Councils leaders in the town council of Garmah when a suicide bomber wearing military uniform blew his explosive-belt in the building, according to a provincial police source.
The death toll from the bombing rose to 20 people killed and 20 others wounded, the source who spoke anonymously said, adding that there were about 50 people in the town's building, including tribal leaders, local dignitaries and members of the local Awakening Council.
Earlier, a police source put the toll at 15 killed and 17 others injured.
The attack came days ahead of the handover of the security of Anbar province to Iraqi forces.
The latest death brings the number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion to about 4,113, according to media count based on Pentagon figures.
Source:Xinhua
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