US Service Member Dies In Syria After A Vehicle Rollover Incident

An unnamed service member died May 26 in Syria after a vehicle rollover accident, the Department of Defense announced. It also has yet to release his service branch.

A spokesman from Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve said in a statement, that the service member “died of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover in northern Syria, May 26, 2017. Further information will be released as appropriate.”

This marks the third death for U.S. forces in Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott C. Dayton was killed by an IED in northern Syria. In March, Air Force Staff Sgt. Austin L. Bieren died from natural causes in the same region.

U.S. efforts in Syria have ramped up in recent months. ABC News reported that roughly 900 U.S. troops are currently deployed to the country to aid Kurdish and Syrian Arab Forces in the fight against ISIS.

In March, a convoy of U.S. troops from the 75th Ranger Regiment was seen crossing into Syria from Iraqi Kurdistan. The Rangers were riding in Stryker armored vehicles en route to the Syrian village of Manbij.

Around the same time, Marines with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit were seen in northern Syria. Marine Corps Times speculated that the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is currently deployed with the USS Bataan’s amphibious ready group, had deployed some of its members to replace the 11th MEU in supporting Kurdish and Syrian Arab Forces.

Additionally, this week, marine artillery crews established a firebase and plan to attack ISIS members in Raqqa, the Islamic State’s de facto capital in Syria, according to Military Times.