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Middle East

A U.S. soldier and a British soldier die during training in Iraq

The deaths occurred Sunday at an air base in Irbil in the semiautonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, where the U.S. has retained a presence, the U.S. Army said.

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A U.S. Army helicopter flies over an Iraqi flag in Iraq. Wathiq Khuzaie / Getty Images file

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June 1, 2026, 7:38 PM PDT / Source: The Associated Press

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — An American soldier and a British soldier died during a training exercise in Iraq, U.S. and U.K. officials said Monday, without releasing further details.

The deaths occurred Sunday at an air base in Irbil in the semiautonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, where the U.S. has retained a presence, the U.S. Army said on X. The statement said the soldier’s identity is being withheld until 24 hours after his or her family has been notified.

The U.K. Defense Ministry 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 U.S. 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 U.S. seeks to strengthen ties with the Kurds.

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The U.S. 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.