Helmet-camera footage issued by Kurdistan government shows men running through compound in Hawija during operation in which US soldier was killed

A video of the joint raid of a prison in Iraq by US and Kurdish forces in which 70 hostages held by Islamic State (Isis) were rescued has been released.

Helmet-camera footage, released on Sunday, shows the raid on Thursday of the prison, which was controlled by Isis militants in Hawija, 9 miles (15km) west of the city of Kirkuk.

A line of panicked men in traditional ankle-length robes are seen running past the camera, some with their hands up, as men scream at them in Arabic, saying “let’s go, let’s go” while gunfire rings out constantly in the background.

The soldiers can be seen walking through a dark room with the black flag of Isis draped on the wall. The rescued hostages are then frisked for weapons and led away. Officials said later that about 20 of those rescued were members of the Iraqi security forces.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The US defense secretary, Ash Carter, watches as soldiers carry the remains of Sgt Joshua Wheeler, who was killed during the rescue. Photograph: José Luis Magaña/AP

US army Master Sgt Joshua Wheeler, 39, of Roland, Oklahoma, was killed during the operation, officials said on Friday. He is the first American to die in combat as part of the US Operation Inherent Resolve.



It is the first time US troops have been involved in direct ground combat in Iraq since the operation against Isis began in August 2014.

US officials said the plan for the rescue mission had called for the US troops, members of the elite Delta Force unit, to stay back from the prison compound and let the Kurds do the fighting.

The US troops transported the Kurds to the prison on five US helicopters, but they were then drawn into the fight to help the Kurdish soldiers. The video was released by the Kurdistan regional government in northern Iraq.