The Pentagon has delayed the departure of about 9,400 American soldiers slated to leave Iraq next January, the Pentagon said Friday.

The troops will be kept in Iraq for an extra seven to 10 days beyond their one-year term, so that a transition to new units replacing them will not begin during the Iraqi elections, Pentagon spokesman Lawrence DiRita said.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld approved the tour extensions on Thursday, he said.

Currently there are about 147,000 US troops in Iraq. The Pentagon has promised that all Army troops deployed in Iraq serve one-year tours of duty there and Marines serve seven-month terms.

A national referendum on a new Iraqi constitution is slated for Oct. 15, and if the constitution is approved by Iraqi voters, they would elect a new Iraqi government on Dec. 15.

Source: Xinhua