Pentagon IDs soldier killed in Iraq

The Pentagon identified Tuesday morning the soldier killed in Iraq this weekend by an improvised explosive device (IED).

Spc. Alexander W. Missildine, 20, of Tyler, Texas, was killed Sunday in Nineveh Province when the IED detonated near his convoy, according to a Pentagon statement.

In addition to Missildine, one U.S. soldier was injured in Sunday’s IED blast.

Missildine was assigned to the 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Polk, La.

“Our condolences to the friends and Family of SPC Missildine, who gave the ultimate sacrifice to defend our way of life,” the Army said on Twitter.

Our condolences to the friends and Family of SPC Missildine, who gave the ultimate sacrifice to defend our way of life. https://t.co/ejGDXZPV3B

— U.S. Army (@USArmy) October 3, 2017

Missildine is the 13th U.S. service member killed fighting against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) since the start of the campaign in 2014.

Nineveh’s largest city and capital is Mosul, which Iraqi forces with U.S.-led coalition backing retook from ISIS in July.

The province’s second largest city is Tal Afar, which was retaken from ISIS in August. The Iraqi campaign against ISIS has since moved to focus on Hawija in the Kirkuk province.

Parts of Nineveh, however, remain littered with explosives and booby traps that forces must clear, Pentagon officials have said.