Four US soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division died when the driver of a taxi detonated a bomb at a roadblock near the central Iraqi city, US Captain Andrew Valles said.

Two US Marines were killed after stepping on unexploded US cluster bombs in southern Iraq, while another was accidentally hit by a bulldozer as he slept, officers told AFP.

Earlier Saturday, the Pentagon announced that the remains of a Marine earlier listed as missing had been recovered.

The new toll since the US-led ground campaign in Iraq began on March 21 was 36 US military personnel dead and 15 missing.

Another 104 US military personnel were wounded in action, and seven were listed as prisoners of war.

WAR.WIRE