US Soldier, UK Soldier Killed During Iraq Training Exercise

One American soldier and one British soldier died during a training exercise in Iraq, US and UK officials said Monday without releasing further details. The deaths occurred Sunday at an air base in Irbil in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, where the US has retained a presence, the US Army said in a post on X. The statement said the soldier's identity is being withheld until 24 hours after his or her family has been notified, the AP reports. The UK's Ministry of Defence 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.

The US has been reducing the number of troops countering the Islamic State 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.