Taliban claims responsibility for attack that kills two US soldiers in Afghanistan

Donald Trump is currently reviewing his overall US strategy in Afghanistan

Afghan security forces take part in an ongoing operation against Isis militants in the Achin district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province (Getty Images)

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for an attack in eastern Afghanistan that left two US soldiers dead and two others wounded.

"An Afghan army soldier opened fire and killed two American soldiers and injured two others," Attaullah Khogyani, spokesperson for the governor of Nangarhar province, told Fox News. "The Afghan army soldier was killed in return fire."

The Taliban claimed responsibility in a statement by Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid, who said the Taliban loyalist had infiltrated the Afghan army "just to attack foreign forces", according to Fox News.

According to US broadcaster ABC, insider attacks have been an ongoing threat to US military personnel in Afghanistan.

The number of such attacks spiked in 2012 but have become less common, partially as a result of improved security procedures and better vetting of Afghan security forces.

There are 13,000 Nato troops currently in the country, 8,400 of which are from the US.

More than 2,000 of them are involved in missions against terrorist groups Isis and al-Qaeda, but the majority are part of a mission that trains, advises and assists Afghan security forces in their fight against the Taliban insurgency.

The Trump administration is currently reviewing the overall US strategy in Afghanistan. Senior administration and military officials have reportedly proposed sending an additional 2,000 to 4,000 US troops to the country, but that suggestion has not yet been taken up by the White House.