¡¡BAGHDAD, June 19 (Xinhuanet) -- A US Marine was shot dead during a major US offensive in western Iraq, the military said on Sunday.

    The soldier, assigned to Regimental Combat Team 2 of the Second Marine Division, was killed in action on Saturday by small arms fire, the military said in a statement.

    The name of the victim was being withheld pending next-of-kin notification, the statement added.

    Nearly 1,720 US soldiers have been killed in Iraq since the US-led invasion in March 2003. Enditem