Douglas McAuthur McCain.

DAMASCUS — On Wednesday, a day after news broke that Douglas McAuthur McCain, a 33-year-old man reared in Minnesota, died fighting for the “Islamic State,” a coalition of Syrian opposition groups announced that its forces had killed another American in battle.

The second American was identified Abdirahmaan Muhumed, who was also from Minnesota. 

The State Department confirmed McCain’s death earlier this week, but spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Wednesday that the U.S. has no independent confirmation of the second American’s death. “We’re looking into it,” she said.

Muhumed had been married several times and had nine children, Minnesota Public Radio reported in June

His friend Abdinasir Mohamed said his shift to radicalism was “very unpredictable.”

A source close to Muhumed’s family said pictures of his body were sent from Syria, but the state department has not confirmed them.

The Syrian rebels did not name the dead American. They said he and McCain died as their forces battled “Kharijites,” in reference to “Islamic State” militants. “Kharijites” is a historical reference to fanatical Muslims who rejected moderate teachings and advocated killing those who violated ultraconservative values.

While there have been reports of Americans fighting in Syria, McCain and Muhumed are the first Americans to be killed in battle with the Islamic State. 

The influx of Western fighters in Syria has raised security concern about militants’ returning to target their home countries.