Army investigates death of Canadian soldier in Iraq

OTTAWA — The Canadian Armed Forces are investigating the death of a soldier based in Winnipeg who was deployed in Baghdad, Iraq.

Capt. Eric Cheung, 38, died on Saturday in what the military calls “circumstances unrelated to the operation,” although the exact details are currently under investigation.

In a statement, the army says Captain Cheung, a member of the Forces since 2009, was an operations officer with the headquarters of the 38th Canadian Brigade Group, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, before being deployed to Iraq.

He worked in Baghdad within the coalition, led by the United States, to fight against the armed group Islamic State (Daesh).

Canada has deployed troops to Iraq since 2014, when Daesh first seized much of the territory and declared an Islamic caliphate.

But Canada has since gradually reduced its presence in the region over the years, and only a handful of military personnel remain in the country, as other priorities have emerged for the Armed Forces.