Citing two US military officials, NBC News reported that a member of the Afghan security forces opened fire on the two US servicemen in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
The officials say the gunman was taken into Afghan custody after sustaining a gunshot-related injury. Both troops were ordered to advise and aid Afghan forces prior to the “insider” attack, a term used to describe conflict between US and Afghan security personnel in the country.
Officials noted the killings did not occur in combat. The names of the two service members will be released Tuesday, after their family members are contacted.
Including this incident, a total of 15 US troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year, with three of them dying as a result of non-hostile acts, according to the Pentagon’s Defense Casualty Analysis System. A total of 15 service members were killed in Afghanistan in all of 2018.
A total of 58 US troops have been wounded while in the line of duty in 2019.