A British Army service member has died following a training accident in northern Iraq, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.
The incident took place on Sunday, 30 May, during military training activities. The MoD said the soldier’s next of kin have been informed and requested privacy before further details are released.
“Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends at this time,” the ministry said in a statement.
The death was also announced in the House of Commons by John Healey, who paid tribute to the soldier and offered condolences to the family and military unit involved.
“I know that the thoughts of the house will be with the family and with the unit at this desperately sad time,” Healey said.
The tragedy comes months after the death of Philip Gilbert Muldowney, a 25-year-old officer who died following an incident at the Otterburn Training Area in January.
Captain Muldowney, who was originally from County Roscommon in Ireland, served as a fire support commander with 129 (Dragon) Battery of the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery. He joined the British Army in 2020 and later trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
An inquest heard that “an incident occurred which resulted in Gilbert suffering a gunshot wound, which is believed to have entered through his back and exited through his left shoulder”.
Investigations into that incident remain ongoing and involve Northumbria Police, the Health and Safety Executive and the Defence Safety Authority.
Following Captain Muldowney’s death, the MoD described him as an “immensely enthusiastic officer who embraced life with a vigour that inspired those around him”.
No further information has been released regarding the latest fatal training accident in Iraq.