A 24-year-old South Portland native was killed Sunday while serving with the Army in Iraq, his mother said today.

Jason Swiger, a 2000 graduate of South Portland High School who was on his third tour of duty in Iraq, was one of four soldiers killed in Diyala province, said Valorie Swiger.

Diyala province is a religiously mixed area that has seen fierce fighting in recent months. Valorie Swiger said the Army told her that her son and four other soldiers had stopped their Humvee to distribute candy to children when a passing motorcyclist blew himself up, killing Swiger and three of the others.

Valorie Swiger was active in a campaign four years ago to display yellow ribbons on South Portland streets in support of U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Swiger was the second Mainer – and second South Portland native – killed in Iraq this month. Marine Lance Cpl. Angel Rosa, 21, a 2004 graduate of South Portland High School, was killed in combat on March 13 in Anbar province. He had just finished advanced training before being deployed to Iraq in January from his base in North Carolina.