Capt. Eric Chung, 38, died Saturday under non-operational-related conditions in Baghdad, according to a press release from the Department of National Defense. No further details about the circumstances of the death will be made available until the investigation is complete, the release said. “Our thoughts are with Captain Cheung’s family and friends. The Canadian Armed Forces are supporting Captain Cheung’s loved ones with assistance during these difficult times,” the DND statement said. The family has asked that their privacy be respected. Cheung has been a member of the Canadian Armed Forces since 2009, most recently as an operations officer with headquarters 38 Canadian Brigade Group, based in Winnipeg. He was in Baghdad as part of the US-led coalition against ISIS, a militant group fighting to establish an Islamic state, when he died. Canada has had troops in Iraq since 2014, when ISIS first seized a large swath of territory and declared an Islamic caliphate. Cheung was part of the Canadian Armed Forces’ contribution to Operation IMPACT in support of the global coalition. Canada has steadily reduced its presence in the region over the years, with only a small military personnel remaining in the country as other priorities have arisen.
