Three US Marines have been killed in combat action in central Iraq, the US military said in a statement on Tuesday.

Two of the Marines, assigned to the First Marine Expeditionary Force, were killed in action Monday in the Anbar province while conducting security and stability operations, while a third died of his wounds later Monday, the statement said.

The names of the soldiers are being withheld pending notification of relatives.

Over 850 US service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq last spring.