Story highlights There's no indication the service member was targeted as an American

Washington (CNN) A US service member was killed in Afghanistan Tuesday while conducting operations with the Afghan military, the Pentagon said.

The service member was identified Wednesday as Staff Sgt. Adam S. Thomas, 31, of Tacoma Park, Maryland. He was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, Colorado, the Department of Defense said.

"We are heartbroken by this loss, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the service member," Gen. John W. Nicholson, commanding officer for US forces in Afghanistan, said in a written statement Tuesday before Thomas' name was released.

He was killed during a patrol with Afghan forces when an improvised explosive device was triggered.

The incident took place in the Achin district of Nangarhar Province as part of a counter terrorism mission going after the ISIS branch in Afghanistan.

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