2 U.S. service members killed during shootout in Afghanistan

Two U.S. service members were killed Saturday after a firefight broke out in Afghanistan, officials tell CBS News. A government official in eastern Afghanistan told CBS News the incident occurred in the Sherzad district of eastern Nangarhar province.

USFOR-A Spokesman Colonel Sonny Leggett said in a statement that, “Upon completing a key-leader engagement at the district center, current reports indicate an individual in an Afghan uniform opened fire on the combined U.S. and Afghan force with a machine gun.”

Six other U.S. service members were wounded. They are receiving medical care at a U.S. facility, Leggett said. 

“We are still collecting information and the cause or motive behind the attack is unknown at this time,” the statement added. “The incident is under investigation.”

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A U.S. military official told The New York Times there were Afghan causalities as well. The number of causalities was unclear. An Afghan official tells CBS News three Afgahn commandos were wounded.   

It's estimated there are more than 10,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. In President Trump's State of the Union speech on Tuesday, he said the U.S. is “working to finally end America's longest war and bring our troops back home.”

Mr. Trump said “peace talks are underway,” and he said it is not the “function” of the U.S. military “to serve other nations as  law enforcement agencies.”

This is a developing story. It will be updated.