Tehran Times -- BAKU (AFP) -- An Azerbaijani soldier has been killed while serving with U.S.-led forces in Iraq, the ex-Soviet republic's defense ministry said Saturday.

Rafael Agayev died in Iraq ""while carrying out his duties,"" the ministry said in a statement. Agayev had served nearly a year in Iraq and had only three days remaining in his tour of duty. 



Defense ministry spokesman Eldar Sabitoglu said no other details regarding his death were available. 



Agayev was Azerbaijan's first reported casualty in Iraq, where the country has about 150 soldiers serving with coalition forces, mostly as guards at the Haditha Dam in western Iraq. 



Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country wedged between Russia and Iran, has sent small numbers of forces to Afghanistan and Iraq as President Ilham Aliyev seeks closer ties with the West.