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Subscribe to RSSA suicide bomber struck a crowd of Shiite worshippers who packed a Kabul, Afghanistan mosque Tuesday to mark a holy day, killing at least 56 people, and a second bombing in another city killed four more Shiites. NBC's Atia Abawi reports from Kabul.
An American was among those killed in a series of deadly attacks Tuesday in Afghanistan, U.S. officials in Kabul said.
"We can confirm that a U.S. citizen was tragically killed in the suicide attacks in Afghanistan on December 6," the embassy said in statement released on Wednesday.
The embassy added that they have been in touch with the family of the deceased and expressed their condolences. It is the only death so far announced of a foreign citizen.
Embassy spokeswoman Megan Ellis said the victim was not a U.S. government employee. She declined to give any further details.
A suicide attack killed 55 people at a crowded Muslim shrine in Kabul Tuesday in an unprecedented sectarian attack on a group of worshippers marking a Shiite holiday.
Also Tuesday, four people died and 21 were wounded in a smaller blast in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. A bomb in a motorcycle later injured six people in the southern city of Kandahar.
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami, a Pakistan-based militant organization, claimed responsibility for the Kabul suicide attack, NBC News reported.
"It is the first time that someone outside of Afghanistan has claimed responsibility for a attack in the country," NBC News' Mushtaq Yusufzai said.
Experts were alarmed by the sectarian nature of the attack.
"Afghanistan has been at war for 30 years and terrible things have happened, but one of the things that Afghans have been spared generally has been what appears to be this kind of very targeted sectarian attack," Kate Clark, from the Afghanistan Analysts Network, told Reuters.
"We don't know who planted the bomb yet and it is dangerous to jump to conclusions but if it was Taliban, it marks something really serious, and dangerous, and very troubling," she added.
NBC News, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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I hope the family finds peace. Not sure why any civilian in their right mind would want to go to Iraq or Afghanistan these days.
Any more now days one never knows, but I would assume that is his birth place. Anybody can be a citizen now days.. A US Citizen has very little meaning as to where you are from.
me from oregon
Could you elaborate on your comment before I stick my foot in my mouth and tell you how idiotic your comment sounds
me from oregon,
US Law (US Code) "US Military Must Buy Only US Product, Goods, and Services". This is why the current US Military Defense Industrial Complex as created by President FDR to get the US out of the Great Depression after his New Deal To The American People Failed (US Government spending money did not have to create jobs failed), 1939 prior to US entry into WWII, 1941, is currently keeping the US out of another Great Depression (people literally starving to death) by employing almost a hundred million US Civilians and paying them "A Fair and Living Wage", as to why the $300 hammers and expensive USAF Toilet Seats.
The US Military Defense Budget and US Military Defense Industrial Complex could easily be cut by 50% by throwing these almost overpaid expensive US Citizens on Unemployment and replacing them with below minimum wage US Military Personnel. Then there are the US Citizens as employed by the over 3,000 US Contractors that could also be thrown on Unemployment.
Seriously, why the hell should we (US Citizens, and US Military as Taxpayers) have to pay $300,000 per year for US Civilian Truck Drivers driving vehicles from Pakistan to here (Afghanistan), instead of $35,000 US Military Personnel (with 3 years of Combat Experience and must provide Convoy Security, as well as if necessary be diverted as Combatants or Guard Duty to secure the US Civilians living at the Hotels) a year.
That is where the Billion each year are going unnecessarily to US Civilians while the US Military and the Afghans get the leftovers. That is why General McChystal and previously General McKiernan and even the US Civilians of their "High Level Staff" believed that "This Administration Does Not Know What It Is Doing" as quoted by Rolling Stone (note: Unlike the US Civilians of General McChrystal's High Level Staff Partying at Paris France overheard by Rolling Stone, we (US Military) cannot leave anytime we want to, like the US Civilians can (and did).).
It is the Duty of a US Military Officer, to Report to the US Public pertaining to those matters concerning the unnecessary deaths of silent (no First Ammendment Rights) US Citizens of the US Military especially after the US Politicians refuse to listen in accordance with our Sworn or Affirmed US Military Officer's Oaths of Office and the US Congressional US Military Officers Commissioning Certificate (written Duty of US Military Officer's Oath of Office) as the Representatives of the silent US Citizens of the US Military, and the Representatives of the US Citizens on the Battlefield; this is why President Obama did not have a Legal Leg to stand on pertaining to the UCMJ as "Insubordination" and had to make deals with General McKiernan, General McChrystal, General Petraeus to retire as Four Star Generals and not Three Star Lieutenant Generals to get their Letters of Resignation by President Obama. Yes, General Petraeus was given a Deal by President Obama to obtain his Letter of Resignation also, by becoming the President's own Director of the Executive Intelligence Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA. 20 years from now you can FOIA the Video Conferencing and Mission Videos from the Special Reconnaissance Mission to confirm that Osama Bin Laden was at the compound, that then turned into a Direct Action, with President Obama freezing up, and Leon Penetta ordering the termination in accordance with the amendment 2006 by President Bush of the US No Assassination Policy, you will figure out who I am from those videos and documents, you can call me whatever names you want, I was here during the two way video conferences and the launch of the Special Reconnaissance Mission from Bagram AFB (as well as my men's, women's and my role in the actual Mission as US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces Afghanistan, before this mission I mentioned our Stereoscopic Night Vision Devices, not the standard issue monocular NVGs, the problem we had with getting batteries because of the US Civilians here.). When you do the FOIA of all the information, make sure that you get the dates correct so that they cannot deny the existence of the two way video conferences, the mission videos, etc. as we are one day ahead of the US. Of course there maybe the "accidental" erasing of all the copies before declassification 20 years from now. During the mission (our date time group), I indicate our support, 160th SOAR, and many other components, that were not only the USN SEALs (just incase of failure, as not to be used as Politically Expedient Scapegoats, "Exceeding Authority"). When you see the 23 minute communications blackout at the White House and not at the CIA (Leon Penetta, SOC, JSOC, Bagram AFB, General Petraeus, Mission Helicopter (MH-47 as C4I), the Teams on the Ground (one way Tactical Mission Cams and Tactical Communication to MH-47 (C4I), then you will know the Truth (most of us will be dead by then, over 70-80, if we survive that long. Do us that request of seeking the truth (our roles, to be footnotes in History).).
Such a peaceful religion. Condolences to the family
No one in their right mind would be over there...think liberal.
Will:
Interesting comment. Why did the Genius Conservative Leader Bush send our troops over there? Would it be that he was not in his right mind?
Condolences to the Family.
about that, will-3713988 is 99.99% correct as ever since the President Obama US Civilian Surge for 2009 there have been almost a hundred thousand US Civilians here (Afghanistan), during this time they have been continously been coming here also as US Contractors making hundreds of thousands of USDs each year each while US Military paid below mininium wage are doing the same Missions and performing additonal Security Duties of those US Civilians while living under harsh conditions (living in modified Shipping Containers) while the US Civilians are living in secure hotels guarded by the same US Military Personnel (that are doing the same jobs as the expensive overpaid US Civilians (DOD and US Contractors.). You can say that I do not know what I am talking about, my men, women and myself (the few of us that have survived) have been here before as the US Military Training Teams to Pakistan/Afghanistan (previously at US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars) to train the 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen to defeat the USSR 40th Army Occupation, weeks after the 9/11 2001 Attacks to overthrow the Taliban Government, redeployment from Iraq 2003 in 2004 after our deployment from Afghanistan to Iraq 2002 after US Law Declaring War at Iraq 2002 Iraqi War Resolution, refresher training Mountain Warfare with the German Commandos, refresher training Mountain Warfare with US Ally Turkey (Southern Turkey) Mountain Warfare before deployment to here (Afghanistan) to conduct US Military Asymmetric Mountain Warfare (years of consecutive tours living with the locals since 2004) Winter (near Arctic Conditions) and Summer. So sure tell me we do not know what we are talking about, as most of us will be "Too Old" to ever be involuntarily recalled to Active Duty as "Too Old" ever again (and again and again).
It has long been my belief that the US Civilians do not belong here (same as all previous US Military Commanders, General McKiernan, General McChrystal, and General Petraeus). As the US Civilians deplete the resources by demanding their "Rights" to BurgerKing, TGI Fridays, McDonalds, Starbucks, etc. while refusing to use the US Military Dining Facilities, etc. that they manage (mismanage, who ever head of a $5.00 chese sandwich), while the US Civilians are eating Surf and Turf, etc..
David: I sell you my house and during the escrow period I release termites and trash the rest of the house, then set it on fire on the day you arrive. -You try to put the fire out but too much is damaged.. Which of us would be responsible for the damage?
Welcome to sh!thole afghanistan, where I am currently stationed and I am a U.S. Citizen/soldier. I hate this country more than anyone could ever begin to realize.
corey-3908270,
You know that there is "Nannyware" on all computers here ever since that wikileaks crap.
I would invite you to join us here, Northeast. If you are south, I would send one of my support MH-60s to Kandahar AFB to pick you up. They would fly to Bagram AFB, refuel, then to the furthest NE FOB. One of my Teams would then meet you. It will take you about a 1/2 day of hiking North escorted by one of my support Teams to meet up with us (there are tactical reasons why we do not use helicopters to even get near us). I would have told you to come visit us during the summer and not now, we are expecting below 30 degrees F weather up here in the Pamir Mountains. Like the one US Military from Iraq and the one DOD Civilian from Iraq, we will give you the proper gear (we are preparing for the usual near Arctic Winter Warfare, Winter Arctic "Whites" and switching from tan to white gear.). You will be attached as an observer to my Command Team with at least two baby sitters (do everything they tell you), if you can get a hold of mountain climbing boots, not standard issue (they get torn up on the razor sharp rocks), and if you smoke too f**king bad, think high altitude. Also bring a some 'Scope" Mouthwaste with you (Vodka mixed with Creme De Mint) so we can sit down and have a long talk. Make sure all your immunizations are current, you will be eating nothing but Afghan food (we save the MREs for special occassions, everything we have we carried in on our backs or by pack mules and pack horses.). If I or my subordinates tell you not to do something, don't (worse case they will put one to your chest and one to your head to stop you). If you have some Medical Training that would help us accomplish our weekly "Humanitarian Assistance Mission" as part of US Military Asymmetric Mountain Warfare. If you want to leave after the second day, like others have, do not b!tch, come to me, I will get you out of here, your b!tching definitely decreases the morale. If you want to know why we do things certain ways, ask us, we will gladly tell you (so that maybe, just maybe, some one will not repeat the deadly mistakes that we previously did).
Just so that you know that I (we) am (are) here (Afghanistan) as years of consecutive tours, enjoy the Boardwalk at Kandahar AFB (Kandy har har) or the KFC at Kabul.
A US civillian, maybe they will learn to keep their axx at home. And if they try to bother us, send the Enola Gay over to visit them.
Corey,
I understand your feelings, not your fault.
My Dad was in the Army Air Force in WW I, my Brother was in the Navy in WW II, I was in the Air Force during Korean. Our whole faminly served, and when I look at many of our politicians I wonder why.
If a person is too dumb or lazy to make it in the real world, run for political office.
Heres hopeing you return home soon and well.
Hikers?
I want to grieve for the dead, but militant Islam keeps repeating that they love death more than life. And yet I see the sad faces of the survivors grieving over the loss of their loved ones. How can this contradiction be? Is this ideology against our nature? Is the human suffering the rules and religions that they themselves have created?
Shia, Sunni, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Janist, Shinto, Animist, etc...we all love our children
Imagine the US going through a civil war and the country becoming as militarized as Afghanistan is. If someone intervened, and you had the opportunity to go back to the USA to help it get back on its feet, does that make you crazy or stupid? There's a big possibility that the US citizen that was killed was here helping to rebuild the country. Also, there are plenty of civilians that go outside the wire every day to perform their jobs in reconstruction and for developing a better picture of the social environs.
chuck wagon,
If you were here (Afghanistan) for years of consecutive tours, living with the locals. As well as previously during the US Military Training Teams to Pakistan/Afghanistan to train the 1980 Pro US Afghan Muhajeen till now, you would have a different perspective of Afghanistan, as a US Ally built up during the 1950s to 1970s as a "Little America" until the USSR 40th Army Occupation (1979).
As far as the reconstruction of Afghanistan by US Civilians. How smart is it to spend Million of USDs to build a building to US Standards, just so that the building is destroyed during the first winter, instead of building to Afghan specifications of adobe clay bricks that last for centuries. Since 2004 we have been buying local materials for a few hundred USDs and the Afghans build Schools and Medical Clinics, to gain their trust we stand side by side with them building these, the US Contactors thru the SOS and President Obama made this impossible for us to do anymore.
If you want to know the truth versus the fiction, it was President Karzai that requested investigations of President Obama's Political Appointees, Eikenberry and Holbrooke, as to why Billions were being spent and nothing was being done nor built. Then President Obama's Political Appointees Eikenberry and Holbrooke started with undermining a US Ally's Government by telling the International Newsmedia "Karzai Corrupt" to deflect attention of General McChrystal's Investigations of them as requested by President Karzai. This is one of the reasons that President Obama's Political Appointees Eikenberry and Holbrooke demanded the Resignation of General McChrystal against the recommendations of Secretary of Defense Gates, to stop his Investigations of them.
After General McChrystal's Resignation, President Karzai requested that General Petraeus investigate President Obama's Political Appointees Eikenberry and Holbrooke. General Petraeus turned in his Investigation of President Obama's Political Appointees Eikenberry and Holbrooke to President Karzai. President Karzai demanded that President Obama's Political Appointees Eikenberry and Holbrooke account for every dime of the Billions spent. General Petraeus got in trouble with President Obama for not disclosing the results of his investigations before turning in the results to President Karzai. After destroying the US Military Career of General McChrystal, President Obama's Political Appointee Holbrooke died on the operating table at Pakistan as straining his heart. President Obama's Political Appointee Eikenberry tendered his Letter of Resignation to President Obama. Those are things that I witnessed (experienced) firsthand here (Afghanistan)(almost funny, now everyone here will be wondering who disclosed this information (pointing fingers at each other). I still stongly believe that the US Public must know about those matters that will result in the unnecessary deaths of the silent US Citizens of the US Military, as my sworn or affirmed Duty (Oath of Office) as a US Military Officer.
David,
I apologize for the delayed response. I would never postulate that there are any hallmarks of healthy governance here. I've never seen any place so corrupt. It's baffling. That being said, my comment was directed at the fool who posted that no civilian (American of Afghani descent) should come back to Afghanistan (not to mention that he thinks this place should be nuked). What I presented was the inverse, asking if that poster would go back to an occupied, violent, ideologically fractured USA in an effort to resuscitate our country. I offered that the US citizen who was killed was valiant for his effort and not stupid for coming back. I am also a veteran and a patriot and I would go back to the USA to fight for her.