U.S. soldier killed in central Iraq

2011-11-15 19:16:04 GMT+7 (ICT)

BAGHDAD (BNO NEWS) -- An American service member was killed during an operation in central Iraq on Monday, the U.S. military confirmed on Tuesday. Few details about the incident were released.

A brief statement from U.S. Forces in Iraq said the U.S. soldier died while conducting operations in central Iraq, but did not give details about the cause of death. "The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin and release by the Department of Defense," it added.

It is the second U.S. fatality in Iraq so far this month. On November 3, 25-year-old 1st Lt. Dustin D. Vincent of Mesquite, Texas, was killed in the country's Kirkuk province when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire.

The fatality on Monday raises the total number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq so far this year to 54, according to the U.S. military. A total of 60 U.S. service members were killed in Iraq last year, most of whom died as the result of non-hostile incidents.

Less than 35,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, nearly nine years since the U.S.-led war began on March 20, 2003. The country has witnessed a resurgence in militant attacks in recent months, but violence has dropped significantly since its peak in 2006 and 2007.

According to a security agreement between Baghdad and Washington, all U.S. forces will be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of 2011.

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So few dying nowadays is certainly better than the death tolls of 5-8 years ago.