Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Jun 2: An American soldier and a British soldier died during a training exercise in Iraq, US and UK authorities confirmed on Monday.

The deaths occurred on Sunday at an air base in Irbil, located in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, where American forces continue to maintain a military presence.

The US Army said the identity of the American soldier is being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified. No further details regarding the circumstances of the incident were immediately released.

In a separate statement, the UK Ministry of Defence said the family of the British soldier had been informed and requested privacy before additional information is made public.

Officials from both countries have not disclosed the nature of the training exercise or the cause of the deaths.

The incident comes as the United States continues to reduce its military footprint in Iraq following years of operations against the Islamic State. However, US forces have maintained a presence in the Kurdish region as Washington seeks to strengthen strategic and diplomatic ties with Kurdish authorities.

In December last year, the United States inaugurated a major new consulate complex in Irbil, underscoring its long-term engagement in the region.

The deaths also come less than a month after two American soldiers died during an off-duty recreational hike in Morocco while participating in the annual multinational military exercise known as African Lion.

Authorities said investigations into the latest incident in Iraq are ongoing.