The Pentagon on Wednesday identified the U.S. Army soldier recently killed in Afghanistan as Staff Sgt. Matthew V. Thompson.
Thompson died from injuries sustained by an improvised explosive device (IED) in the southern Afghan province of Helmand on Tuesday, the Defense Department said in a release.
The NATO-led mission in Afghanistan said Tuesday that an American service member had died and another was wounded near the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah when their patrol triggered an IED, but the fallen service member had not yet been publicly identified.
Six Afghan soldiers were also wounded in the incident, which is currently under investigation.
Thompson, a 28-year-old from Irvine, California, was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington.
"He was an exceptional Green Beret, a cherished teammate, and devoted husband. His service in Afghanistan and Iraq speak to his level of dedication, courage, and commitment to something greater than himself," Lt. Col. Kevin M. Trujillo, who commands the U.S. Special Operations task force in Afghanistan, said of Thompson, according to the Washington Post.
Thompson enlisted in the Army in 2011 and was on his first tour in Afghanistan. He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal with a "V" for valor, and the Combat Infantry Badge, according to the Post.
The Pentagon this week sent 100 American troops to Lashkar Gah, the capital of the Helmand Province, to advise and assist Afghan forces fighting the Taliban there. Insurgents have made gains around the city, which local Afghan officials have warned is in danger of falling to the Taliban.
Thompson was the second American service member killed in Afghanistan this year. In January, Army Green Beret Staff Sgt. Matthew McClintock was killed near Marjah in the Helmand Province when his unit came under heavy fire from insurgents.
"I was deeply saddened to learn one of our service members was killed today and another wounded while engaged in our mission to train, advise, and assist Afghan forces," Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a statement on Tuesday, before Thompson was identified. "Six Afghan soldiers were also wounded in the IED blast. My thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of the service member killed and all those injured."
"This tragic event in Helmand Province reminds us that Afghanistan remains a dangerous place, and there is difficult work ahead even as Afghan forces continue to make progress in securing their own country," Carter said. "We will continue to work closely with the government of Afghanistan and our NATO partners to bolster the capabilities of the [Afghan national defense and security forces] so they can provide the people of Afghanistan the peace they deserve."