Suicide bomber kills six American soldiers in Afghanistan

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack near Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan that killed six American soliders. Two other Americans and an Afghan also were wounded when an attacker drove an explosives-laden motorcycle into their patrol.

“Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families and friends of those affected in this tragic incident, especially during this holiday season,” U.S. Army Brig. Gen. William Shoffner, head of public affairs at NATO‘s Resolute Support base in the Afghan capital Kabul, said in a statement.

Though the United States doesn’t carry out combat operations from Bagram anymore, it still flies F-16s and other jets out of there and maintains patrols in the area around the base.

The attack coincided with a Taliban insurgency in the Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. About 90 security troops have died in the past two days fighting off the Taliban in Helmand, according to Reuters. The Taliban’s offensive there recalls the extremist group’s brief takeover of the Afghan town of Kunduz this fall. During the fighting, the U.S. bombed a Doctors Without Borders hospital, killing 22 patients and staff. The Pentagon said the bombing was a mistake.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.