IS claims responsibility for killing, injuring U.S. soldiers northern Iraq
Islamic State’s militants. File photo
An online statement issued by the group said the fighters fired Grad rockets on U.S. forces in east of Tal Afar town, located west of Mosul.
U.S. military announced earlier that two U.S. service members were killed, while five others were wounded in a combat operations in north of Iraq.
In a statement published by Reuters, the military said that preliminary reports showed that the incident was not due to contact with enemy, indicating investigations on the issue.
“The entire counter-ISIS Coalition sends our deepest condolences to these heroes’ families, friends and teammates,” said Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.
“I hope there is some small solace in knowing their loss has meaning for our country and all the nations of the Coalition as the fallen service members were fighting to defeat a truly evil enemy and to protect our homelands.”
U.S., which leads a coalition of countries against Islamic State, has hundreds of soldiers deployed across Iraq. Both Baghdad and Washington say those soldiers only offer advice and support to Iraqi troops battling against IS.