Two US Troops Killed, Two Wounded in Afghanistan Roadside Blast - NATO

Since 2001, thousands of American soldiers have lost their lives in Afghanistan to Taliban insurgents, with 2019 being considered one of the deadliest years in terms of the number of people killed.

Two US service members have been killed and two more injured in a roadside blast in Afghanistan, according to a statement from NATO, as cited by Reuters.

As per reports, the blast occurred on Saturday in the country’s Kandahar province. The names of the service members have not been disclosed, in accordance with US Defence Department rules.

NATO officials earlier confirmed that a blast had struck US serviceman, but no casualties were mentioned at the time, with an alliance spokesperson saying that the situation was still being assessed.

The attack was immediately claimed by the Taliban, according to a statement issued by the group’s spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi.

More than 2,400 American soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the beginning of the US presence in the country, with many attacks claimed by Taliban insurgents occurring in 2019. In November, US President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Bagram, the largest US base in Afghanistan, to celebrate Thanksgiving with American troops on the ground. 

The United States and its allies have been conducting operations in Afghanistan since 2001 as part of the ongoing War on Terror, targeting various groups, including the Taliban and al-Qaeda.