U.S. defense officials announced on Monday that three American troops and one American security contractor were killed by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.
The suicide car bombing reportedly happened near Bagram Air Base, an airfield located in northern Parwan province and one of the largest U.S. bases in Afghanistan.
Three Americans were also wounded in the attack.
The injured troops were medically evacuated from the battlefield.
In accordance with Department of Defense policy, the identities of the killed and wounded are being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.
Three U.S. troops and one contractor were killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Representative @MichaelGWaltz reacts on @FoxandFriends pic.twitter.com/bBrpSz9KDe
— Brian Kilmeade (@kilmeade) April 9, 2019
BREAKING: U.S. military says 3 American troops & 1 contractor killed in roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan outside Bagram Airbase, 3 other US troops wounded
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) April 8, 2019
The Taliban has reportedly claimed responsibility for the suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack.
The deaths bring the number of American troops killed in Afghanistan this year to seven.
Two Americans, an Army Green Beret and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) specialist, were killed during a mission in Kunduz province last month. An Army Ranger and a Green Beret were killed during separate operations in January.
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There are currently around 14,000 U.S. troops deployed to Afghanistan.
While their primary mission is to advise and assist Afghan security forces, U.S. troops continue to conduct daily patrols throughout Afghanistan.
Special operations forces are carrying out counterterrorism missions, which often place them in harm’s way.
A reduction in the number of U.S. troops in the country has been bandied about for months.
Talks between representatives from the United States, the government of Afghanistan, and the Taliban have continued in the hopes of reaching a peace deal that could potentially see the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country and a pledge by the Taliban not to provide a safe haven for terrorist groups like al-Qaida and ISIS.
Christopher Castellano is a U.S. Army veteran and currently serves as a firefighter in New York City. He is an OpsLens contributor. This OpsLens article is used by permission.
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