Turkish Soldier Killed In Iraq By IS Rockets

Iraq -- Iranian Kurdish Peshmerga members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of (KDP-Iran), take part in a training as they prepare to celebrate Norouz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Koya, 100 kms north of Irbil, March 21, 2016

A Turkish soldier was killed at a military base in northern Iraq from rockets fired by Islamic State militants.

The attack on March 26 came as the Turkish air force for the first time joined the U.S.-led coalition in attacking the militants in northern Iraq.

The Turkish soldier was killed by rockets fired by IS militants during a fight with the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces that landed at a base in the Bashiqa region where some Turkish soldiers are stationed.

A second Turkish soldier was wounded.

In a statement on March 26, Turkey's military said coalition war planes hit four IS positions in the region following the Bashiqa attack.

Turkey has deployed a number of troops in northern Iraq to help train Kurdish militias who are fighting the IS.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa