CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the network's medical correspondent usually based at CNN's Atlanta headquarters but currently embedded with the "Devil Docs" of the US Navy, performed emergency brain surgery on a wounded Iraqi boy at a US field hospital.

Gupta, a trained neurosurgeon, was called upon to operate on the boy who was suffering from head wounds caused during an incident at a US marine checkpoint, according to CNN. Unfortunately, the boy - who also had "several other serious injuries" - later died.

Dr. Rob Hinks, the US commander in charge of the field hospital tent, said: "We were very lucky to have Dr. Sanjay Gupta, neurosurgeon extraordinaire, present to help us operate, as he graciously did, as a humanitarian gesture. Unfortunately, the child died, but without his help, there would have been no chance."

CNN said they are "extremely proud" of Gupta.