Two US soldiers die in Iraq crash

Two US soldiers have been killed in a helicopter crash in northern Iraq, the US military has said.

The helicopter crashed in Salahaddin province, north of Baghdad, the military said in a statement.

The soldiers belonged to Task Force Lightning, attached to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade.

The US military said no enemy fire had been observed in the region at the time of the crash. The incident is being investigated.

The military has also announced that three other soldiers were killed in fighting over the weekend in Anbar province.

Eighteen US soldiers have been killed in Iraq in November, the Associated Press news agency said.

More than 100 American troops were killed in October, making it one of the bloodiest months for the US in Iraq.

Saddam Hussein's hometown, Tikrit, is the capital of Salahaddin province.