Two U.S. soldiers injured in bear attack during training exercise in Alaska

The attack took place on Thursday and the soldiers remained at the hospital on Friday morning, local time, reports the Anchorage Daily News.

"The safety and well-being of our staff are of the highest priority. We are coordinating with local conservation authorities," spokesperson Jo Nederhoed told the newspaper.

It was during a training exercise at the military base in Anchorage that the two soldiers encountered a brown bear. Both soldiers reportedly used bear spray during the attack.

The exercise coincided with the period when the approximately 350 black bears and 75 brown bears that live on the base's 259-square-kilometer area often emerge from their dens.