Two Iraqi soldiers gunned down in Mosul

Unidentified armed men have gunned down two Iraqi servicemen in the violence-wracked city of Mosul in the north of the country. The incident occurred on Monday in the Mishraq neighborhood of eastern Mosul, which is located about 400 kilometers north of Baghdad, Xinhua reported. The assailants fled the scene and investigations are underway. Over one million Iraqis have been killed since 2003 in the US-led war and occupation, according to the California-based Project Censored. Some reports coming out of Iraq say the United States is currently putting pressure on Baghdad in line with its plan to maintain thousands of troops in the country beyond December 31, 2011, when they are obligated to completely withdraw according to a bilateral treaty.