Affleck, Garner divorcing after 10 years of marriage

Hollywood couple Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have split after being together for a decade.

The couple - who have three children nine-year-old Violet, six-year-old Seraphina, and three-year-old Samuel together - marked their 10th anniversary early this week, reported People magazine.

"After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce," the couple said in a joint statement.

"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," they added.

Garner, 43, and Affleck, 42, intend to seek mediation, said a source close to the couple.

They 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 costars on the the set of 2001's "Pearl Harbor", then reconnected making their 2003 film "Daredevil" and started dating soon afterward.