On Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that a U.S. serviceman was killed "in the neighborhood of Erbil," the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. "It is a combat death, of course, and a very sad loss," Carter said in Stuttgart, Germany, where he is meeting with NATO allies. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) also released a brief statement, saying the unidentified "coalition service member was killed in northern Iraq as a result of enemy fire."
A U.S. military official tells The Associated Press that the serviceman was killed by "direct fire" while advising Kurdish Peshmerga troops, after Islamic State fighters broke through the Kurds' forward line. He was two to three miles behind that line, the official tells AP. On Tuesday, CBS News adds, U.S. and coalition aircraft were helping local forces attack ISIS north of Mosul, about 50 miles west of Erbil.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Exploring Easter Island, one of the world's most remote inhabited islandsThe Week Recommends It takes time and effort to travel to this mystical locale
-
Linda McMahon, the former wrestling mogul tapped for Department of EducationIn the Spotlight Longtime Trump ally set for nomination as secretary of the agency despite limited background in the field
-
Russia vows retaliation for Ukrainian missile strikesSpeed Read Ukraine's forces have been using U.S.-supplied, long-range ATCMS missiles to hit Russia
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red SeaSpeed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacksspeed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages releasedSpeed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs saySpeed Read
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?Speed Read
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign portSpeed Read
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'Speed Read
