The attack is the second episode in less than two months in which a U.S. service member was killed by an Afghan security member. The U.S. military, which disclosed the death in a statement Monday, did not provide additional details.

“The sacrifice of our service member, who volunteered for a mission to Afghanistan to protect his country, is a tragic loss for all who knew and all who will now never know him,” said Gen. Scott Miller, head of the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan, in the statement. “Our duty now is to honor him, care for his family and continue our mission.”

The Pentagon, which said that the wounded service member is in stable condition, did not identify either service member, pending family notification.

Afghan officials said the attack happened just after noon at Forward Operating Base Shank, in Logar province southeast of Kabul.

“We had a security meeting and other security officials were visiting also and a visiting policeman opened fire on an American military officer. He was hit from behind,” said Gen. Abdul Raziq, commander of the 4th Brigade of the Afghan army’s 203rd Corps, which operates out of the base. “We arrested the police officer, and according to the initial information, he said there was shooting already before he fired and the American was hit.”

Monday’s attack brings the number of U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan this year to six. Just two months ago, another U.S. service member was killed during an attack at a base in Tarinkot, a town in Uruzgan province, where roughly 150 soldiers who are stationed in Kandahar often rotate through to train Afghan soldiers.

U.S. troops in Afghanistan today are mostly tasked with training and assisting the Afghan National Army, as part of President Donald Trump’s new strategy in Afghanistan.

The war is now largely fought by Afghan security forces backed by U.S. air power. But Monday’s death is another reminder that the Trump administration strategy, which calls for U.S. troops to train, advise and assist their Afghan counterparts, nonetheless can put Americans in harm’s way. Trump has yet to visit Afghanistan or the U.S. troops there since taking office.

Insider attacks remain a regular feature of the war in Afghanistan. In some cases, investigations have found, the Taliban ordered the attacks, which peaked in 2012 and accounted for 15 percent of the deaths of troops in the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan. Coalition forces were targeted in four insider attacks last year, including one that killed three U.S. soldiers in eastern Afghanistan.

The attacks prompted the creation of the Guardian Angel program, which is designed to try to protect U.S. military advisers working with Afghan troops. Soldiers assigned to Guardian Angel duties receive special training, carry loaded weapons and wear body armor and helmets whenever U.S. advisers are working with Afghans — even when inside secure bases.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Helene Cooper © 2018 The New York Times