This photo from the U.S. Department of Defense shows Master Sgt. Luis F. Deleon-Figueroa. Deleon-Figueroa, 31, and Master Sgt. Jose J. Gonzalez, 35, died as a result of small arms fire in Faryab Province. Both were members of 7th Special Forces Group.
PENTAGON - The Pentagon has identified the two service members killed in action Wednesday in Afghanistan.
Master Sergeant Luis F. DeLeon-Figueroa of Chicopee, Massachusetts, and Master Sergeant Jose J. Gonzalez of LaPuente, California, were killed during what is being described as an active combat situation.
But officials have not said which enemy the troops were fighting.
An official with the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan told VOA an investigation is ongoing.
The Trump administration and the Taliban have been negotiating to find a way out of the United States’ longest war.
Trump shared details of the meeting with reporters early this week, suggesting a U.S. troop drawdown plan is still in the works.
“We’re having very good discussions [with the Taliban]. We will see what happens. We’ve really got it down to probably 13,000 people [troops] and we’ll be bringing it down a little bit more and then we will decide whether or not we will be staying longer or not,” he said.
Trump stressed that the U.S. plans to leave behind a “very significant intelligence” force for operations against Islamic State and al-Qaida. He says Afghanistan remains “a breeding ground” for terrorists.