Los Angleles, July 1 (IANS): Hollywood couple Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have announced they are divorcing each other after 10 years of their marriage.

The duo, who have three children -- Violet, nine, Seraphina, six, and three-year-old, Samuel -- broke the news via a joint statement, reports people.com.

"After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce. We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time. This will be our only comment on this private, family matter. Thank you for understanding,” the statement read.

According to a source, Garner, 43, and Affleck, 42, intend to seek mediation.

The duo often enjoyed family time together at home in Los Angeles where they were frequently spotted on carpool, coffee and after-school activity outings with their brood.

But their marriage was also the subject of scrutiny over the years.

Affleck often spoke of how much Garner helped stabilise his life after it had become tabloid fodder in the years following his 2004 split with Jennifer Lopez.

The two first met as co-stars on the the set of 2001's “Pearl Harbor”, then reconnected making their 2003 film “Daredevil” and started dating soon afterward.