US: 2 service members killed in eastern Afghanistan

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON

Two U.S. troops were killed in Afghanistan and another wounded during a joint operation with Afghan forces, the U.S. military confirmed Thursday.

The service members were conducting a raid in the eastern province of Nangarhar on Wednesday when they came under attack, the Pentagon said. It did not specify the severity of the wounded's injuries.

"The fight against ISIS-K [Daesh] is important for the world, but sadly, it is not without sacrifice," said Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, referring to Daesh's Afghan affiliate. "On behalf of all U.S. Forces and our coalition partners, I offer our deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and fellow service members of our fallen comrades."

The troops' families have been notified in line with Pentagon policy.

The Pentagon said additional information would be released "when appropriate".

The U.S. currently has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan.

It has most recently been locked in combat with Daesh's Afghan affiliate, known as "ISIS-Khorasan", which the U.S. estimates has about 600 to 800 fighters as its disposal.

Earlier this month the U.S. dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on a tunnel network used by the group in Nangarhar Province.