Two US troops die in Baghdad blast

The United States military says two of its troopers have died in a roadside explosion near the headquarters of the forces in Baghdad, Iraq.

The Thursday blast ripped through a checkpoint outside the Victory Base Camp, Washington’s main military base in Iraq, the Associated Press reported.

Around 4,500 US forces have died in Iraq ever since the Washington-led invasion of the war-torn country in 2003.

Over one million Iraqis have been killed as a result of the occupation, according to a study by the British polling group, Opinion Research Business.

There are currently near 50,000 US forces stationed in Iraq.

Washington is reportedly putting pressure on Baghdad in line with its alleged plan to keep thousands of forces on the country’s soil beyond December 31, 2011, when the military is obligated to carry out a complete withdrawal.