An American soldier in Iraq died of his wounds on Sunday after being shot, the US army said in a statement.
"A United States Forces-Iraq soldier died of wounds sustained from enemy small arms fire Sunday during advisory operations in northern Iraq," it said, adding that the soldier's name would be released once his family was notified.
His death was the first of a US soldier in Iraq as a result of hostile action since two American troops were killed by an Iraqi army comrade who opened fire on them on an Iraqi base on September 7.
It brings to 4,429 the number of US soldiers who have died in Iraq since the US-led invasion to oust Saddam Hussein in 2003, according to an AFP tally based on data from independent website www.icasualties.org.
Nearly 50,000 American troops remain stationed in Iraq, focused on training and advising Iraqi security forces as well as conducting joint counter-terrorism operations with local forces.
All US soldiers must leave Iraq by the end of 2011 under the terms of a bilateral security pact.
Share This Article With Planet Earth
