Around 70 hostages held by Islamic State were rescued from a makeshift jail in Iraq in a joint raid by the United States military and Kurdish troops on Thursday, reported the Guardian. An American soldier was killed in the operation, becoming the US military's first casualty since the withdrawal of troops from Iraq in 2011. Several Islamic State fighters were also killed, including two who were reportedly senior commanders, while five more were captured.

The Pentagon confirmed that the raid targeted the Islamic State prison near the town of Hawijah after the US and Kurdish forces received reports that the hostages “faced imminent mass execution”. The 70 hostages who were rescued included several Kurdish fighters who had been captured by Isis earlier this year, according to reports. US military officials said they have stepped up action against militants in locations in Iraq and Syria.