WASHINGTON — A US soldier and a British servicemen died during military training in northern Iraq over the weekend, officials said without releasing further details.
The US military issued a statement late Monday announcing the death of a US Army soldier during a military training accident on Sunday at Irbil Air Base in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
The statement said the soldier’s identity is being withheld until 24 hours after his or her family has been notified.
The British Ministry of Defense said in a separate post that the family of the British soldier has been notified and requested a “period of grace” before more details are released.
Defense Secretary John Healey announced the soldier’s death in the House of Commons on Monday.
“With deep regret I should inform the House that a training accident occurred in northern Iraq yesterday in which a service personnel from the British Army has died,” Healy said.
“The family have been informed and have asked for a period of grace before further details are released. I know that’s the thoughts of the house will be with the family and with the unit at this desperately sad time.”
The US has been reducing the number of troops countering the Daesh group in Iraq. But American forces have retained a presence in the Kurdish region as the US seeks to strengthen ties with the Kurds.
The US inaugurated a large new consulate compound in December in Irbil, the capital of the Kurdish region, highlighting Washington’s diplomatic and strategic engagement in the area.
The deaths occurred nearly a month after two American soldiers fell off a cliff and died during an off-duty recreational hike in Morocco. They were reported missing May 2 after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise.
Source: Saudi Gazette