US military says service member killed in Iraq

BAGHDAD (AP) — The U.S. military says a U.S. service member has died during a combat mission with Iraqi security forces in Iraq’s north.

The statement by the U.S Central Command said the service member died Saturday in Iraq’s northern Nineveh province.

The service member was advising and accompanying the Iraqi Security Forces on a planned operation, according to the statement. Iraqi forces have recently launched new operations in the country’s north to weed out remnants of Islamic State group.

The U.S. said the identity of the service member was being withheld until notification of the next of kin.

The U.S. Department of Defense established in 2014 a joint task force for Operation Inherent Resolve to deal with Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.