US serviceman killed rescuing hostages from IS in Iraq
A US serviceman has been killed in an operation to rescue hostages from Islamic State militants in Iraq, a US official told AFP Thursday.
"It was an Iraqi operation" with the US military in an "advise and assist" role, the official said, adding that the aim was to "free hostages."
CNN reported that the operation, which took place in Hawija in northern Iraq's Kirkuk province, freed 70 hostages.
Other US media outlets also reported on an operation in Hawija without giving any numbers on US military casualties.
According to The New York Times, the operation saw the mobilization of US helicopters, as well as Kurdish and US Special Operations forces.
The United States has deployed 3,500 troops in Iraq in the context of an operation targeting the Islamic State group.
These troops are meant to train, advise and assist Iraqi forces.
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