US Soldier Killed in Iraq

A U.S. soldier has died in Iraq for the first time since 2011 as the United States continues to increase its involvement in the battle against the Islamic State, which controls large swathes of Iraq and Syria.

The soldier was a member of the special forces and was killed as U.S. Special Forces and Kurdish special operatives raided an IS prison near the town of Hawija, according to The New York Times. Four Kurdish soldiers were injured and the U.S. commando died of his wounds after the operation.

The name of the U.S. fatality has not been released because the family has not yet been notified officially of the death.

The raid led to the release of 70 prisoners, at least 20 of which were members of the Iraqi security forces who fell prey to the group. Five IS fighters were apprehended and a number were also killed.

The special operations soldiers expected to only find 20 prisoners, and after an intense gun battle with IS discovered there were dozens more. The troops were supported by airstrikes, which targeted nearby IS checkpoints and roads to the prison in a successful effort to cut off any possible reinforcements.

The raid was motivated in part by intelligence that the prisoners were to be executed today. The prisoners said that they were told they would be executed at dawn and intelligence officials told the Times that the ditches to bury the dead had already been dug.

This is the first confirmed raid by U.S. troops in Iraq since the United States' official withdrawal from the country in 2011.