Kiwi soldier dies in non-combat incident

A New Zealand Army soldier has died in the Middle East in a noncombat incident.

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) said the soldier died at a Coalition headquarters in Jordan where he was a national liaison officer.

There are no suspicious circumstances related to the death, which occurred on Thursday (NZ time), NZDF said. It is a suspected suicide, The Press understands.

His family have been informed and they have asked that the soldier’s name not be released at this time.

The NZDF has a number of liaison officers at headquarters throughout the Middle East and around the world.

The man’s family was being supported by the NZDF.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said he was aware of the soldier’s death.

He said it was always a tragedy when any soldier serving overseas loses their life, particularly for their families.

He explained the coalition headquarters in Jordan helps with logistics and analysis of the situation to help troops in Iraq.

‘‘We’ve got a lot of guys up there who are largely in support of our unit in Taji . . . we want to know what the risks are.

‘‘I would just express deep sympathies to the family and at the same time gratitude for the service that their loved one has given to the people of New Zealand.’’

Labour’s defence spokesperson Phil Goff wanted to recognise the soldiers that work in ‘‘sometimes lonely and difficult situations’’.

He said they would be under pressures others wouldn’t be aware of given the nature of their jobs. ‘‘A special acknowledgement to the soldiers who serve as this soldier did. Our hearts go out to the soldier’s family.’’

The Prime Ministers’s office have not commented on the death.

An NZDF spokeswoman would not confirm or deny whether the coalition headquarters referred to the same base in Jordan. The ‘‘coalition’’ likely refers to Operation Inherent Resolve, the US-led effort against Islamic State.

‘‘Each of the [UNTSO] groups has a different mission statement but essentially they are there to ensure peace agreements or cease fires are observed and to report any activities which violate these agreements or could threaten peace and security in the region,’’ the NZDF website says.