U.S. Army soldiers patrol outside Contingency Operating Site Taji, north of Baghdad, Iraq, on Aug. 7, 2011.(Photo: Maya Alleruzzo, AP)
One U.S. Marine<span style="color: Red;">*</span>was killed and several others were wounded Saturday<span style="color: Red;">*</span>at a northern Iraqi base after it came under rocket attack from Islamic State militants, Pentagon officials said.
"A U.S. Marine providing force protection fire support at a recently established coalition fire base near Makhmur in northern Iraq was killed after coming under ISIL rocket fire," said<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook, using an acronym for the Islamic State. "Several other Marines were wounded and they are being ?treated for their varying injuries."
Cook said the names of the dead and wounded Marines were being withheld pending notification of their relatives.
The last American servicemember to be killed in combat in Iraq was<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler, 39,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>who died in October.
Wheeler,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Special Forces<span style="color: Red;">*</span>soldier from Roland, Okla., was killed<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in a raid that freed 70 Islamic State hostages from<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a makeshift prison in northern Iraq.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>He<span style="color: Red;">*</span>was<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the first soldier to die in combat in Iraq since 2011 when U.S. forces withdrew after more than eight years of combat there.
"This is the second combat death since the start of Operation Inherent Resolve, and it reminds us of the risks our men and women in uniform face everyday," Cook said Saturday. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the service members involved, their families and their coalition teammates who will continue the fight against ISIL with resolve and determination."
USA TODAY
Soldier who died in raid to free Islamic State hostages identified
Powered By WizardRSS.com |
Full Text RSS Feed
