Pentagon Says an American Is Killed in a Helicopter Crash in Iraq

WASHINGTON — An American service member died in Iraq on Sunday in a helicopter crash following a joint counterterrorism operation, military officials said.

Several other troops were wounded and three were evacuated for treatment, said the American-led military coalition, which is based in Baghdad. In a statement, the coalition said the incident is under investigation and that there were “no indications the crash was caused by hostile fire.”

The Pentagon has insisted that the primary role of the roughly 5,000 American troops stationed in Iraq is to advise local soldiers in the waning fight against the Islamic State. But Sunday’s death shows how American troops are still participating in operations against the militants.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the death of an American but gave no additional details about the crash.

A report in Newsweek identified the helicopter as a Special Operations-variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk, a workhorse of the military’s helicopter fleet.

The crash comes five months after an Air Force helicopter ran into electrical wires in western Iraq, killing all seven troops aboard.

Helene Cooper contributed reporting.