2 U.S. service members killed in fight against Taliban in Afghanistan

Afghan commando in Kunduz — (Image credit: Bashir Khan Safi/AFP/Getty Images)

On Thursday, NATO announced that two U.S. service members were killed in a battle against Taliban fighters in northern Afghanistan and two more were wounded. The U.S. forces were part of a "train, advise, and assist mission" in Kunduz province, NATO said, helping the Afghan military clear Taliban fighters from an area and disrupt their operations. The Taliban briefly overran Kunduz's capital twice, in 2015 and again in early October, before Afghan forces drove them out with U.S. help.

"Today's loss is heartbreaking and we offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of our service members who lost their lives today," said U.S. Gen. John W. Nicholson, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. "Despite today's tragic event, we are steadfast in our commitment to help our Afghan partners defend their nation." U.S. deaths in Afghanistan are rare since NATO formally ended its combat mission in the country two years ago. The names of the fallen soldiers will be released after their families are notified.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.