Baghdad  - A US soldier was killed and two others injured Monday in a bomb blast in Iraq's northern Salahaddin province, according to the US military.

The soldier died of injuries sustained in an attack by a homemade bomb in the province, a military statement said.

The two other soldiers were injured by the same device.

The death brings the number of US troops killed in Iraq since the beginning of May to 17.

At least 4,082 have been killed since the launch of the Iraq war in March 2003.

The US military said Saturday incidents of violence have fallen to their lowest level in more than four years, adding that this trend was still fragile and reversible. (dpa)