DOUBLE BLOW

U.S. Soldier Killed in Training Exercise in Iraq

A British service member died during the same exercise.

A U.S. soldier has died during a military training exercise in Iraq, the Army has announced. The soldier was killed during training at Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq. A British service member also died in the same incident. U.S. Army Central and Third Army disclosed the death on X, but offered few details. “The training was conducted with our British Army partners who also lost a soldier,” the Army said. “The incident is under investigation.” The Army said it is withholding the American soldier’s identity until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified. British officials separately announced “with deep regret” that a British Army soldier died in what they described as a training accident in northern Iraq. “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends at this time,” the statement said. U.S. forces continue to maintain a presence in Iraq’s Kurdish region as part of broader security cooperation efforts. The deaths come less than a month after two U.S. soldiers died during an off-duty recreational hike in Morocco following the multinational African Lion exercise. Before this, the latest confirmed U.S. military fatality was Staff Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, who died from wounds sustained during an Iranian attack on a U.S. air base in Saudi Arabia.