Fort Bragg Soldier from Nash County Killed in Iraq

The military confirmed Tuesday that five other Fort Bragg soldiers were killed in a bombing in the Salahuddin province.

The troops were patrolling near Samarra, a Sunni stronghold, north of Baghdad, when the bomb went off, officials said.

Three other soldiers in the unit were injured the explosion and didn't return to duty, including Pfc. Christopher Ess, of Dunn. He was hit by shrapnel in his right arm and ruptured his eardrum.

The division of about 17,000 soldiers has some 8,300 paratroopers in Iraq and about 6,100 on duty in Afghanistan. Another brigade is scheduled to deploy to Iraq this summer.