Details Emerge On How 6 U.S. Soldiers Were Killed In A Suicide Attack Last Week In Afghanistan

Maj. Adrianna Vorderbruggen, Staff Sgt. Louis M Bonacasa, Staff Sgt. Chester J McBride (TopL-R), Staff Sgt. Peter W Taub, Technical Sgt. Joseph G Lemm, and Staff Sgt. Michael A Cinco (BottomL-R) are pictured in this combination of undated handout photos provided by the U.S. Air Force, December 23, 2015. REUTERS/U.S. Air Force/Handout via Reuters

Washington Post: Failure in Afghan police search may have led to U.S. deaths near Bagram air base

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — It was just after 1 p.m. here Monday when Marine Gunnery Sgt. Sean Fagan heard the blast and felt its shock wave shake his vehicle.

“Then we heard them come up on the radio calling for help,” Fagan recalled.

An Afghan had just detonated an improvised explosive device packed with ball bearings after being allowed to ride his motorcycle into a patrol of U.S. airmen and Afghan national police. Five were killed immediately, and another would die in the following hours. Two other airmen and an American interpreter were wounded. According to U.S. personnel familiar with the incident, Afghan national police had failed to thoroughly search the suicide bomber and his motorbike before allowing him to proceed through the patrol. The airmen were all with the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations, a military law enforcement unit.

The six deaths marked the single largest loss of American life at the hands of the enemy since NATO officially ended its combat mission in Afghanistan last year.

Update: New details on deadly attack in Afghanistan that killed 6 Americans (CNN)

WNU Editor: The identities of the 6 U.S. soldiers killed in this Afghanistan attack are here .... Identities revealed for all six U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan attack (Reuters). Our prayers are with theeir families and loved ones.