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Fort Bragg Soldier Killed By Roadside Bomb In Syria

Master Sgt. Jonathan J. Dunbar, 36, was among two coalition members who died after the attack.
Credit: Dept. of Defense
Master Sgt. Jonathan J. Dunbar

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (WNCN/CBS News) - Army officials announced Saturday that a soldier who died after a roadside bomb attack in Syria this week was a Fort Bragg-based sergeant.

Master Sgt. Jonathan J. Dunbar, 36, was among two coalition members who died after Thursday night's attack, the US Army Special Operations Command wrote in a news release.

Since 2013, Dunbar was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, which is based at Fort Bragg.

He was originally from International Falls, Minnesota, and graduated in 1999 from John B. Connally High School in Austin, Texas, the news release said.

Local Syrian officials say the roadside bomb went off Thursday night near a security headquarters at in Manbij, along the Syrian-Turkish border.

The US military says at least two coalition members - including Dunbar - were killed and five others were wounded.

Roughly 2,000 American troops are still on the ground in Syria working to combat ISIS terrorists.

Dunbar first entered the United States Army as an Infantryman in May 2005, the news release said.

His first assignment was with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, Fort Bragg, where he served as a machine gunner, fire team leader, and squad leader.

During his tenure, he deployed once to Afghanistan and once to Iraq in support of combat operations. In November of 2009, he transitioned to Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 38th Cavalry Regiment (Long Range Surveillance), Fort Hood, Texas, where he served for four years as a squad leader, according to army officials.

During his time in Fort Hood, he deployed to Iraq again in support of combat operations, officials said.

Dunbar’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (3rd Award), the Army Commendation Medal (4th Award), the Army Achievement Medal (6th Award), the Good Conduct Medal (5th Award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, the Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars.

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