Five other soldiers were wounded, the United States military said, adding that “initial reports indicate the incident was not due to enemy contact.”
BAGHDAD — Two American soldiers were killed while conducting combat operations in Iraq, the United States military said in a statement on Sunday, adding that “initial reports indicate the incident was not due to enemy contact.”
Five other soldiers were wounded, the statement said, without providing further details. It did not identify the soldiers or where in Iraq the casualties occurred.
More than 5,000 American troops are taking part in the war against the Islamic State in Iraq, according to the Pentagon. Most operate within heavily guarded bases, collecting and sharing intelligence with Iraqi forces and providing logistical support.
But as the fighting has evolved over the past three years, more American troops are operating close to the front lines. In addition to the two killed on Sunday, five other American soldiers have been killed in Iraq in the fight against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, including two in the battle to retake the northern city of Mosul.
More than 1,200 Iraqi forces were killed in the battle for Mosul and more than 6,000 were wounded, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said this month.
Iraq’s prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, declared victory against the Islamic State in Mosul in July, and Iraqi forces are now preparing to retake the Islamic State-held town of Tal Afar.
