Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Five U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq Monday, making 2007 the deadliest for the American military in the Iraq war, CNN reported Tuesday.

    The grim record came despite lower death rates in recent months, which were not enough to offset death tolls that topped 100 during the three months in the spring.

    According to a CNN count of Pentagon figures, 854 U.S. service members have died so far in 2007. The next highest death toll was in 2004, when 849 were killed.

    The total number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq now stands at 3,857, including seven civilian contractors of the Defense Department.

    The high number of deaths this year corresponds to the U.S. troop buildup in late summer and a crackdown on insurgents in and near Baghdad.

    The Iraq war began in March 2003 and in that year there were 486 U.S. military fatalities.

    In 2004, major offensives were responsible for many fatalities, including the massive operation in Falluja in November and fighting between U.S. troops and Shiite militants in Najaf.

    The number of deaths in 2005 was 846 and in 2006 it was 822.