Two U.S. soldiers killed by a man in an Iraqi uniform Tuesday were the first killed since the United States ended combat operations in Iraq, officials said.

Nine other U.S. soldiers were wounded in the incident at an Iraqi army base in Tuz Khurmatu in Salahuddin province, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

The U.S. troops were part of a security detail for a U.S. commander meeting with Iraqi officers, the U.S. military said in a statement.

Military officials said it hadn't been confirmed whether the gunman was an Iraqi soldier. However, Iraqi and Kurdish officials said the attack happened after an altercation between the American soldiers and a Kurdish Iraqi soldier, the Times said.

The gunman, identified as Soran Abdul Rahman Antar, was shot and killed by an American soldier, the U.S. military said.

The United States officially turned over security responsibilities to the Iraqis at the end of August, but about 50,000 U.S. troops remain there as trainers and in support of Iraqi forces.

A colleague of the gunman said his action "was a surprise to everyone."

Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo, commander of U.S. forces in northern Iraq, called the attack "a tragic and cowardly act, which I firmly believe was an isolated incident and is certainly not reflective of the Iraqi security forces in Salahuddin," the Times said.

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.