Army National Guard soldier from Indiana dies in non-combat incident in Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) — A 34-year-old soldier serving with the Indiana National Guard in Iraq has died in a non-combat incident, the Army said Monday.

Capt. Eric Richard Hart, 34, of Indianapolis, Indiana, died Saturday in Iraq, the Army National Guard said in a statement. Hart was assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion of Indiana’s 38th Infantry Division in Iraq. His death is under investigation.

While all combat operations have ceased for U.S. forces in Iraq, the U.S. maintains a presence of 2,500 troops to assist the Iraqi military in counter-Islamic State operations and training. Those forces have repeatedly come under attack in the 14 months since Hamas attacked Israel, spurring a wider, deadly response from Tel Aviv.

During the last year, Iranian-backed forces have launched one-way attack drones, rockets and missiles at U.S. facilities in Iraq in response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Lebanon.