Kabul (Agencies): At least three American service members were killed when a roadside bomb exploded in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province, US military officials said.
Three US service members and an American contractor were also wounded in the blast, the military said. The names of those killed were not immediately disclosed pending the notification of next of kin.
The 1TVNews reports no group immediately responsibility for the attack near the city of Ghazni, the provincial capital.
The tragedy came three days after Army Sgt. Leandro A.S. Jasso, 25, died during combat operations in Helmand province. Jasso was wounded by small-arms fire and was treated and evacuated to the nearest medical treatment facility, where he died, NATO’s Resolute Support mission said.
Early interviews indicate the tragic accident occurred when the partnered force became engaged in a close-quarter battle during an assault on one of multiple barricaded al Qaeda shooters, the statement said.
An initial review indicates Sgt. Jasso was likely accidentally shot by our Afghan partner force. There are no indications he was shot intentionally, the mission said in a statement.
The war in Afghanistan began weeks after the 9/11 terror attacks, and the American death toll from the war has exceeded 2,200. President Donald Trump decided last year to remain committed to Afghanistan, and about 15,000 US troops serve largely in a support role for Afghan security forces.
