Two U.S. service members were killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan on Wednesday.
The U.S. military is investigating the crash, but it said that preliminary reports suggest the incident wasn't "caused by enemy fire." No further details were provided, pending the notification of next of kin.
Their deaths bring the total number of U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan this year to at least 20.
About 14,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Afghanistan. Most of them are there as part of a NATO mission called Resolute Support, which is focused on training, advising and assisting Afghan forces fighting the Taliban.
The helicopter crash came one day after the Taliban released two Western hostages in exchange for several militants. U.S. and Afghan officials hope the prisoner swap will jump-start a new round of peace talks with the Taliban.
