Roadside Bomb Kills US Soldier in Battle to Retake Mosul

An American soldier was killed by a roadside bomb Thursday in the ongoing battle for Mosul in northern Iraq. He is the first U.S. military casualty in the campaign to oust ISIS from its last major stronghold in northern Iraq.

Officials say the soldier was supporting Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, who are part of the effort to recapture Mosul.

More than 100 U.S. troops are embedded with Iraqi forces, and hundreds more are playing a support role in staging bases.

The soldier is the fourth U.S. combat death in Iraq since military operations against the Islamic State began in 2014.

Central Command reported the incident Thursday, without disclosing where the explosion took place. They said he was killed by an IED (improvised explosive device).

According to ABC News, Iraqi forces have been confronted by strong resistance.