Canadian Troops Exchange Fire with Islamic State in Iraq

Marcio Silva/iStock/Thinkstock(ISTANBUL) — Canadian troops have exchanged fire with the Islamic State in recent days, according to military officials in Iraq, marking the first time western soldiers have engaged the militant group.

Special forces from Canada were meeting with Iraqi Kurdish forces on the front lines when they were attacked by Islamic State gunmen firing automatic weapons and mortars.

A Canadian general says his soldiers fired back in self-defense, killing several Islamic State militants.

There were no reported casualties among Canadian and Kurdish forces.

The Canadian troops are training Kurdish forces in northern Iraq as part of a U.S.-led coalition that has seen the return of thousands of soldiers to the embattled country.

Since U.S. forces ramped up their presence in Iraq, there have been unconfirmed reports of American soldiers taking fire from Islamic State militants.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon recently announced that several hundred additional U.S. soldiers are heading to Iraq to join the effort to train local forces attempting to regain territory from the Islamic State.

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