In sad news, ISIS has killed a U.S. service member. The death occurred in Iraq during an advise-and-assist mission during combat and is being reported by the Pentagon. Matt Bradley of the Wall Street Journal was quick to report that one of the sources of the information is Col. Steve Warren, Pentagon Spokesperson for Operations Inherent Resolve.
“A Coalition service member was killed in northern Iraq as a result of enemy fire,” the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. “Further information will be released as appropriate.”
An American official has confirmed that the service member was killed by “direct fire” from ISIS forces after they penetrated the Kurdish held forward line with a convoy of truck bombs. A U.S. coalition then repelled the attack with F-15 jets and drone strikes.
The service member, unnamed for now was killed in northern Iraq, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Tuesday.
Carter told reporters in Stuttgart, Germany, “It is a combat death, of course. And a very sad loss.”
Carter is in Stuttgart because he is consulting with European allies this week
No details about the identity of the service member were given but only that the accident happened near Erbil. Iraq.
This service member is the third to be killed as part of the ground effort against ISIS. The last death occurred in March. U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Louis Cardin was killed by a rocket attack in northern Iraq. In October 2015 Delta Force Master Sgt. Josh Wheeler was killed during a mission to free 70 ISIS hostages.
We will bring you more details as they become available.
The official press release from the Operation Inherent Resolve website is below:
May 3, 2016,
Release # 20160503-1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Operation Inherent Resolve Casualty
SOUTHWEST ASIA – On May 3, 2016, a Coalition service member was killed in northern Iraq as a result of enemy fire. Further information will be released as appropriate. It is CJTF-OIR policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities.
Godspeed.
