KABUL, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Two U.S. service members were killed and two other U.S. service members wounded in an explosion in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province on Saturday, the coalition forces confirmed.
"Two U.S. service members were killed and two U.S. service members were wounded in action today when their vehicle struck an IED in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan," the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission forces said in a statement.
Taliban militants have been using home-made improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to make roadside bombs and landmines for targeting security forces.
The service members were conducting operations as part of Resolute Support mission, the brief statement added.
The statement did not provide details only saying "in accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, the names of the service members killed in action will be withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin is complete."
Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the attack. Zabiullah Mujahid, a purported Taliban spokesman, wrote on Twitter that insurgents conducted a roadside bombing against foreign forces near an airbase on the outskirts of provincial capital Kandahar city.
Security situation has been improving in Kandahar, the former stronghold of Taliban, over the past months, as security forces have conducted search and cordon operations across the province. But the militants attack government interests in the province from time to time.
