US service member killed in Iraq

Baghdad, May 3 (IANS) US Defence Secretary Ash Carter on Tuesday said an American service member has been killed in Iraq.

"It is a combat death, of course. And a very sad loss," the senior official told reporters at a press conference in Germany.

According to Carter, the serviceman was killed "in the neighbourhood" of Irbil, in northern Iraq.

However, no further details were available.

Carter arrived in Stuttgart, Germany, to preside over a ceremony that sees a new commander of US European Command, Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, installed. Scaparrotti will replace Air Force General Philip Breedlove.