American service member killed by roadside blast in Iraq
The service member was killed and another wounded by the roadside blast.
— -- The Pentagon has confirmed that an American service member was killed in Iraq and another was injured when a roadside blast struck the vehicle they were riding in.
“One coalition service member was killed and another was injured when an IED struck their vehicle Oct. 1 in Iraq,” said a statement issued early Monday by Combined Joint Task Force Inherent Resolve, the coalition helping the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Eric Pahon, a Defense Department spokesman, later confirmed to ABC News that the service member killed in the attack was American.
“The names and circumstances surrounding the incident are being held pending notification of next of kin, and will be released at the discretion of the pertinent national authorities,” said the coalition statement.
More than 5,000 American troops are in Iraq and about 1,000 in Syria advising and assisting the Iraqi military and Syrian rebel forces fighting ISIS.
The death of the American service member would be the 13th from hostile action in Iraq or Syria.
Forty-five American military service members have been killed as a part of the overall Operation Inherent Resolve, including fatalities outside Iraq and Syria from noncombat deaths, accidents and at sea.