2 wounded US soldiers evacuated from Afghan battlefield

At least one USA service member has been killed and two others have been wounded after coming under attack during a counter-terrorism operation in southern Afghanistan, the US military says.

Yesterday, a United States service member was killed and two others were injured when they came under fire while conducting a train, advise and assist mission with their Afghan special operations counterparts on the ground of Marja city in Helmand Province which shares its border with Pakistan.

In recent weeks, US special forces and Afghan government forces have deployed in Helmand province to try to repel a months-long Taliban offensive.

In Washington, U.S. officials confirmed that a medical evacuation helicopter that had been sent to Marjah to help the wounded soldiers was damaged when its rotors struck the wall of a compound.

The casualties came on the outskirts of Marjah, and a medevac helicopter sent in to rescue them was also badly damaged when it landed and was hit by mortar fire. A Pentagon report last month stated Taliban forces were able to stage more attacks and inflict more casualties on Afghan forces in 2015 compared to 2014.

The strikes highlight the intensity of the combat in Helmand, a traditional Taliban stronghold where hundreds of British and American soldiers and marines were killed or wounded fighting the insurgency.

“We have had a lot of achievements from this operation and we will continue until we free Marjah from Taliban”, he said. Speaking for Gen. John Campbell, the top USA commander in Afghanistan, Shoffner said, “our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families and friends of those involved”.

“This is an ongoing fight”, Cook said. “We’ve seen solid progress from the Afghan forces”, Cook added.

Helmand is one of several fronts where the Taliban has advanced in the past year, taking control of district centers.

Two U.S. officials said they were special operation troops. “That helicopter remains on the ground”, he said, adding that Defense Secretary Ash Carter has spoken to commanders on the ground about the situation.