Two US service members killed in Afghanistan

Two U.S. service members were killed in Afghanistan on Friday while conducting an operation, the NATO-led Resolute Support mission said in a statement.

It gave no further details and withheld the names of the service members until next of kin were informed.

The U.S. military’s mission is focused on guiding and aiding Afghan forces battling the Taliban, who were ousted from power in 2001.

Violence has been relentless in Afghanistan even though Taliban militants have held several rounds of talks with U.S. officials about a peace settlement.

The latest talks wrapped up this month with both sides citing progress, but no agreement to end the 17-year war.

The Resolute Support Mission consists of 17,000 troops,about half of them from the United States.