A United States soldier has been killed in Iraq, US military officials said Friday - marking the first American casualty there since US President Barack Obama announced that all of his country's troops would leave the Middle Eastern nation by the end of 2011, dpa reported.
The soldier was killed on Thursday while conducting military operations, the military added in a brief press release.
It did not give further details on the incident, which it said was being investigated.
Meanwhile, two separate attacks on Friday also targeted US military patrols in the outskirts of the northern city of Kirkuk, Iraqi security officials told the dpa.
One soldier was seriously injured in the attack, added security officials.
Obama said on October 21 that all US troops would leave Iraq by the end of the year.
Though violence has dropped significantly in Iraq since its peak in 2006, fear of attacks persist, with almost daily bombings targeting security personnel. Some Iraqi officials have warned of an increase in attacks during and after the US pullout.