Afghanistan: Two US soldiers killed by Afghan soldier in Nangarhar province
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The incident took place late Saturday in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan when US and Afghan commandos were conducting a "key-leader engagement" at a base in Sherzad district.
Two American soldiers were killed while six others were injured after an Afghan soldier armed with a machine gun opened fire, news agency AFP reported quoting US military on Sunday.
The incident took place late Saturday in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan when US and Afghan commandos were conducting a "key-leader engagement" at a base in Sherzad district.
"Current reports indicate an individual in an Afghan uniform opened fire on the combined US and Afghan force with a machine gun," the report stated US Forces-Afghanistan spokesman Sonny Leggett as saying in a statement.
Provincial governor Shah Mahmood Meyakil said in an audio message to reporters that three Afghan commandos were wounded.
He said it was not immediately clear if the incident was a deliberate act by an "infiltrator" or an accident.
"It was not a clash between the forces. We are investigating," Meyakil said.
Leggett also stressed the cause or motive behind the attack were not immediately known.
“Several 7th SFG(A) Soldiers were injured or killed during combat operations in Afghanistan on February 8, 2020. The families of the deceased and wounded are being notified. In accordance with DoD policy, the names of the causalities are being withheld until 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/R22ilulOcx
— 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (@7thForces) February 9, 2020
In a tweet, the US Army's 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) said "several" of its soldiers had been killed or injured during combat operations in Afghanistan.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
(With inputs from AFP)