WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): Deeply saddened by US casualties in a suicide blast at the Bagaram airfield, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Saturday said the United States would not be deterred in its mission in Afghanistan.
“An apparent suicide bomber has taken the lives of two US service members and two US contractors working on the base,” Carter said.
The explosion wounded 16 other US service members and one Polish soldier participating in the NATO mission.
“I want to express my sincere condolences to the families of the fallen, and I want to reassure the loved ones of those injured that they are getting the best possible care,” he said.
“Force protection is always a top priority for us in Afghanistan, and we will investigate this tragedy to determine any steps we can take to improve it,” Carter said.
He said his message for those who carried out the attack was simple. “We will not be deterred in our mission to protect our homeland and help Afghanistan secure its own future.”
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