WASHINGTON DC: Two US special forces troops killed in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday may have been struck by friendly fire in an operation targeting the emir of Islamic State militants in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said .
Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters that the military was investigating if the two troops may have been killed by ground fire, either by American forces or Afghan commandos taking part in the raid, though it appeared to be accidental.
“We are investigating the circumstances of the combat deaths of the two Army Rangers in the beginning of what was an intense three-hour fire fight,” Davis said. “It is possible these Rangers were struck by friendly fire.”
Earlier in the day, the Pentagon identified the troops as Sergeant Joshua Rodgers, 22, and Sergeant Cameron Thomas, 23. A third soldier was wounded in the operation.
Davis said the target of the raid was Abdul Hasib, the emir of Islamic State in Afghanistan. The US military suspected he was killed in the operation, but could not yet confirm it.
The operation, near the border with Pakistan, started at about 10:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday and within minutes the 50 US Army Rangers along with 40 Afghan commandos came under fire from multiple direction.
“It was during these initial moments of the raid that the two Rangers were mortally wounded,” Davis said.
Fighting carried on for the next three hours, with Islamic State fighters firing from a heavily fortified compound and tunnel system.
The operation involved drones and aircraft like the AC-130 gunship, Apache helicopter and F-16 fighter jets. About 35 IS fighters are believed to have been killed, Davis said.
US and Afghan forces were extracted from the area at about 3 am Thursday morning.
Islamic State’s offshoot in Afghanistan, known as the Khorasan Province, is suspected of carrying out several attacks.
US officials say intelligence suggests IS is based overwhelmingly in Nangarhar and neighboring Kunar province.
Estimates of its strength in Afghanistan vary. US officials believe the movement has only 700 fighters but Afghan officials estimate it has about 1,500.- AFP
