April 17 (Bloomberg) -- Seven American soldiers and Marines were killed in fighting in Iraq in recent days, the military said in statements late last night, bringing U.S. deaths in action this month to at least 61.

Three Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldiers were killed in attacks in the capital and two marines died fighting in al- Anbar province yesterday, the U.S. Army said in separate statements e-mailed from Iraq. Two other soldiers died from a roadside bomb in Fallujah in al-Anbar two days earlier, the army said in a separate statement received early this morning.

The Baghdad soldiers were taking part in the Baghdad Security Plan, or Operation Fardh al-Qanoon in Arabic, to try to secure the capital and stop sectarian violence between majority Shiite Muslims and minority Sunnis.

Since the U.S. invasion in March 2003, 3,296 military personnel have died, with 2,682 killed in action, according to a Defense Department tally on April 16. At least 61 have been killed in action this month, based on recent tallies.

More than 24,640 personnel have been wounded, with 45 percent of those injured so badly they haven't returned to duty, according to the Defense Department.

The names of the latest deceased are being withheld until their next of kin are notified.

As many as 67,364 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the invasion, according to the latest tally on the Web site of Iraqbodycount.net, a research group based in the U.K.

To contact the reporters on this story: Aaron Sheldrick in Tokyo at asheldrick@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: April 17, 2007 00:29 EDT