Lithuanian-American soldier dead

VILNIUS - Mantas Sutkus, 31, has died while serving in the US Special Forces. Circumstances of the Lithuanian's death are being kept not know even to his family.

Mantas Sutkus was one of the Green Berets - soldiers serving on a Special Operations Force under the US Army.

Parents Kestutis and Grazina Sutkai, who emigrated to the US 18 years ago, received news of their son's death on Feb. 26. Neither the cause nor whereabouts of the tragedy have been disclosed to Mantas' loved ones, Lietuvos Rytas daily reported.

"Operations undertaken by the Green Berets are secret, we therefore don't know where he was stationed", Kestutis Sutkus said from his home in the state of New Jersey.

"This is a special group, which sometimes ends up in places where American forces shouldn't step in, like, say, Iran or Pakistan. We don't even know where he was and what he was doing. We are yet to receive official information. We are continuously being told that an investigation is in the works," Sutkus added.

Mantas Sutkus became a Green Beret less in 2008. Sutkus wasn't allowed to disclose any information on his work due to the secret nature of operations entrusted to the Green Berets.

"He certainly was happy", said the father. "Mantas has wanted to become a soldier since his early days. This was what he always wanted. When we arrived to the US, he first completed university studies and then joined the army. As soon as his US citizenship came through, he applied for the Green Berets, as only US citizens can join the force".

The Lithuanian soldier's funeral will be held with all the honors of a US military funeral.