2 US Service Members, at Least 30 Civilians Killed in Afghanistan

— -- Two U.S. service members were killed and four others were wounded today during an operation against a Taliban position in northern Afghanistan's Kunduz Province.

As many as 30 civilians may have been killed by airstrikes called in to support the Afghan and U.S. troops surrounded by Taliban forces, according to Afghan security officials.

The NATO-led coalition said airstrikes were conducted to defend the troops and will investigate the allegations of civilian casualties.

The American forces were conducting a train, advise and assist mission "with our Afghan partners to clear a Taliban position and disrupt the group’s operations in Kunduz district,” according to U.S. Forces Afghanistan.

The northern province of Afghanistan has been the scene of heavy Taliban attacks this year that coalition officials attribute to a Taliban goal of repeating last year's brief takeover of the city of Kunduz.

The Americans were hit in today’s operation after heavy Taliban fire as they accompanied Afghan special operations forces.

Afghan Special Forces were conducting an operation in an area called Bady Kandahari, near the center of Kunduz were surrounded by Taliban forces, according to Sayed Mahmood Danish, a spokesman for the governor of Kunduz Province.

The U.S. advisers called in airstrikes to repel the Taliban attack.

"As result of fighting with Taliban, unfortunately, 30 civilians, including women and children, were killed and 25 other people got injured," Danish said.

He added that 26 Taliban fighters, including two commanders, were killed in the fighting that also killed four Afghan special operations forces and injured six others.

Danish attributed the civilian casualties to the Taliban fighters sheltering themselves in private homes.

A U.S. military spokesman confirmed that airstrikes had been carried out to defend the Afghan and U.S. forces that took Taliban fire and that the allegations of civilian casualties would be investigated.

"As part of an Afghan operation, friendly forces received direct fire and airstrikes were conducted to defend themselves," said Army Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland, the deputy chief of staff for communication, Resolute Support. "We take all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously. As this was an Afghan operation, we'll work with our partners to investigate but refer you to them for additional details in the near term. We'll provide updates as we have them. "

Danish, the spokesman for the governor of Kunduz Province, said an Afghan investigating team had been sent to the area to determine whether the civilians were killed by the airstrike or from ground crossfire.

In a statement, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said he was "deeply saddened" by the deaths of the two U.S. service members and the injuries to the four others.

"Some of our Afghan partners also died," Carter said. "Our service members were doing their part to help the Afghans secure their own country while protecting our homeland from those who would do us harm. On this difficult day, please keep their families, friends and teammates in your thoughts and prayers. We will honor their sacrifice by finishing our important mission in Afghanistan.”

Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, said, “On behalf of all of U.S. Forces - Afghanistan, today’s loss is heartbreaking and we offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of our service members who lost their lives today.”

"Our wounded soldiers are receiving the best medical care possible and we are keeping them and their families in our thoughts today, as well. Despite today’s tragic event, we are steadfast in our commitment to help our Afghan partners defend their nation."

The names of the service members are being withheld so their families can be notified.