US marine killed by rocket attack in northern Iraq

A US marine fighting the Islamic State in Iraq has been killed in an attack on a base in the north of the country, defence officials have said.

The serviceman died in a rocket attack on a base in Makhmur, the Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said.

The identity of the slain marine has not yet been released publicly.

CNN quoted a defence source as saying that a small number of other American troops were also wounded in the attack. The source declined to give any further details.

Today's fatality is one of only two US military deaths in combat in Iraq since 2011.

The last US serviceman to die in the conflict was Army Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler, who was killed during a rescue mission last October.