A US soldier died following an IED blast in northern Syria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. service member died on Thursday after being wounded in an improvised explosive device blast in northern Syria, U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, said in a statement.

CENTCOM said the blast occurred in the vicinity of Ayn Issa, but gave no other details, adding it would release more information "as appropriate."

US Defense Secretary Ash Carter expressed condolences in a statement, saying he was "deeply saddened" that the soldier was killed "protecting us from the evil of ISIL.

"It is a painful reminder of the dangers our men and women in uniform face around the world to keep us safe," he said.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Sandra Maler and Peter Cooney)