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GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — A soldier based in Germany died in combat in Afghanistan this week, the Department of Defense announced.

Sgt. Enrique Mondragon, 23, of The Colony, Texas, died Monday after suffering fatal injuries in a small arms fire attack on his unit during a dismounted patrol in Baraki Barak, in Logar province, according to a press release. Mondragon was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment of the 173rd Special Troops Battalion in Bamberg, Germany.

His body was flown back to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday.

The unit is part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which is based in Italy and Germany.

The 173rd cased its colors in June for a nine-month deployment to Logar and Wardak provinces, the brigade’s fourth mission to the country in six years.

Staff reports

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