Stephen Edward Troell (left) and Eric Cheung (right).
A Untied States citizen and a service member of the Canadian military were reportedly murdered in two separate accidents in Iraq.
On November 7, 45-year-old Stephen Edward Troell, a U.S. citizen, was fatally shot in the center of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Troell, a native of Tennessee, was shot and killed by two unidentified assailants in his car as he pulled up to the street where he lived with his family in the Karrada district.
Troell had been living in Baghdad for two years and had worked for a civil society organization that taught English to Iraqis.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, less than two weeks in office, ordered an investigation into the mudere of Torell.
“The timing of the murder of an American citizen in Baghdad puts question marks,” al-Sudani said, adding: “Security is a red line.”
The US Embassy in Baghdad said it was closely monitoring the investigation by Iraqi authorities, but declined to comment further.
Also on November 7, the Canadian military announced that it is investigating the death of a Winnipeg-based soldier who was stationed in Iraq.
In a press release, the Canadian Department of National Defense said that 38-year-old Captain Eric Cheung died on November 6 under non-operational-related circumstances in Baghdad. The department noted that no further details about the circumstances of the death will be made available until the investigation is complete.
“Our thoughts are with Capt. Cheung’s family and friends. The Canadian Armed Forces are supporting Captain Cheung’s loved ones with assistance during these challenging times,” the press release reads.
Cheung had been a service member of the Canadian military since 2009. Prior to his death, he was serving as an operations officer with 38 Canadian Brigade Group headquarters, which based in Winnipeg. He was in Baghdad as part of the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS.
While terrorist groups or lone radicals could be behind the shooting of Troell, it is still unclear how exactly Cheung died. The death of the two men came at a time when security conditions in Iraq were thought to be improving.
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