Baghdad, Iraq ? Five U.S. Marines were killed in fighting with al-Qaida-led insurgents near the Syrian border and an Army soldier died of wounds suffered in Baghdad, making Wednesday the second deadliest day for American forces in Iraq this month.

The soldier, from the Army’s Task Force Baghdad, died of wounds suffered the day before when a roadside bomb exploded northwest of the capital, the U.S. command said.

Three other soldiers were killed Tuesday in a roadside bombing in the same area.

The six deaths made Wednesday the deadliest day for American forces in Iraq since Nov. 2, when seven service members died in four separate attacks. At least 51 U.S. service members have already died in Iraq this month.

For the Marines, it was the worst single-day loss since they launched an offensive Nov. 5 to push al-Qaida-led insurgents from a series of towns along the Euphrates River used by foreign fighters to slip into the country from Syria.

The Marines, whose identities were not released, were assigned to Regimental Combat Team 2 of the 2nd Marine Division. A New York Times reporter traveling with U.S. forces said an explosion occurred as a squad entered a farm house in Obeidi, 185 miles northwest of Baghdad. Insurgents then raked survivors and rescuers with small arms and grenade fire before other Marines could recover the dead and wounded and kill the attackers, the newspaper said.

Eleven Marines were wounded in the ambush, according to the Times reporter.

The latest deaths brought to at least 2,079 the number of U.S. service members who have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

U.S. officials say the offensive near the Syrian border is aimed in part at encouraging Sunni Arabs to vote in the Dec. 15 parliamentary elections without fear of insurgent reprisals. The Bush administration hopes a successful election will encourage many in the Sunni community to abandon the insurgency.

Clinton remarks

In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, former President Clinton told Arab students Wednesday that the United States made a “big mistake” when it invaded Iraq. He cited the lack of planning for what would happen after Saddam Hussein was overthrown.

“Saddam is gone. It’s a good thing, but I don’t agree with what was done,” Clinton told students at a forum at the American University of Dubai.

“It was a big mistake. The American government made several errors … one of which is how easy it would be to get rid of Saddam and how hard it would be to unite the country.”

Clinton’s remarks came when he was taking questions about the U.S. invasion. His response drew cheers and a standing ovation at the end of the hour-long session.