Roadside bomb in Iraq kills US service member

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – A roadside bomb in Iraq left one United States service member dead and another injured, the Department of Defense announced on Sunday.

The US service member was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) struck his vehicle, the Pentagon said without providing further details about the location or incident.

Defense Department spokesperson Eric Pahon confirmed the blast had struck American troops, killing one and injuring another.

The identities of the service members were not revealed due to the Pentagon’s policy of withholding information about members killed in action until 24 hours after their families have been informed.

The incident marks the eighth US service member killed while battling the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria in 2017.

The latest casualties for US forces under Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) came in August 2017 when two service members were killed and five others injured in northern Iraq.

Since the US-led coalition’s campaign against IS began in August 2014, 13 US service members have lost their lives in combat-related incidents, and over 50 have been wounded, according to the Pentagon.

The US-led coalition is continuing to support Kurdish and Iraqi forces with intelligence, equipment, training, and air strikes as they advance on the last remaining IS-controlled areas in Iraq and Syria.

An offensive to oust the militant group from Hawija, one of their last remaining pockets in Iraq, is underway as the US has conducted about 40 air strikes in the area, OIR Spokesperson Colonel Ryan Dillon said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, in Syria, US-backed Kurdish forces are making gains in two separate campaigns in Raqqa and Deir al-Zor.

Editing by Ava Homa