The two members of the Fifth Corps were killed in "an apparent accidental detonation of a grenade while they were performing maintenance on a vehicle in a checkpoint south of Baghdad", at 1200 GMT on Monday, a statement said.

"The incident was not a result of hostile fire," Centcom added in the statement issued in the Iraqi capital.

The wounded soldiers were evacuated to a field hospital for treatment, and an investigation was underway, it said. The names of the dead were being withheld pending next-of-kin notification.

SPACE.WIRE