BAGHDAD, Oct 14 (Reuters) - A U.S. airman was killed in action in Iraq on Saturday, the U.S. military said in a statement.

The airman was killed while working with the Iraqi police around the capital, Baghdad, it said, giving no further details.

U.S. military casualties have surged in Iraq in recent weeks, with troops engaging in sweeps to curb sectarian violence in Baghdad while facing unrelenting violence elsewhere.

More than 40 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq this month. At the current pace, the month would be the deadliest for U.S. forces since January 2005.

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