Five U.S. soldiers were killed and nine more wounded in separate attacks in Iraq during the past two days, the U.S. military said on Saturday.

Three American soldiers were killed Friday when an explosion hit their vehicle in the volatile Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, the military said in a brief statement.

Two more soldiers were killed and nine others wounded in separate attacks on Thursday in southern part of the capital, another statement said without elaboration, but said three wounded soldiers have been returned to duty.

More than 3,405 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion broke out in 2003, according to media count based on Pentagon figures.

Meanwhile, thousands of U.S. troops continue Saturday a massive search operation in Baghdad's southern insurgent strongholds looking for three missing soldiers, who were believed to have been abducted near the town of Mahmoudiyah on May 12.

Source: Xinhua