Pentagon Identifies 3 US Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan

The Department of Defense has identified the three soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Saturday in an attack that was apparently carried out by an Afghan solider.

In a press release, the Department of Defense only said that the three soldiers died of gunshot wounds sustained in Nangarhar Province and the incident was under investigation.

The three soldiers were identified as Sgt. Eric M. Houck, 25, of Baltimore, Sgt. William M. Bays, 29, of Barstow, California, and Cpl. Dillon C. Baldridge, 22 of Youngsville, North Carolina. All three soldiers were based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

U.S. officials told NBC News that the Afghan solider who opened fire on the U.S. soldiers was killed in return fire. The incident occurred during a joint training between the U.S. and Afghan military in eastern Afghanistan. The Taliban said that the Afghan soldier was an infiltrator.

In the district where the attack occurred, U.S. special forces had been fighting alongside Afghan troops against the Islamic State and the Taliban, Reuters reported. U.S. officials are aware of the attack, and President Donald Trump has been briefed.

Patch will update this report as more information is learned.

Image Credit: Photo credit: David B. Gleason via Flickr Commons