Three American soldiers killed by suicide bomber in Zabul

Three US soldiers were named as victims of a suicide bomber who struck their convoy with a car on 6th April 2013.

The soldiers were part of a convoy of officials travelling to a school in Qalot, the provincial capital of Zabul province, to donate books for the students there. The suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into the convoy, killing six people and injuring at least ten more.

The soldiers, all serving with the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, were named by the US Department of Defense as:

24-year-old Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Ward, 25-year-old Spc. Wilbel Robles-Santa and 24-year-old Spc. Deflin M. Santos Jr.

Also among the victims was US Diplomat Anne Smedinghoff aged 25.

More information to follow.

US Diplomat Anne Smedinghoff

25-year-old US diplomat Anne Smedinghoff, was among a group of six killed on 6th April 2013 by a suicide bomber who drove a car into a convoy of American military and civilian personnel. The attack happened in Zabul province.

Ms Smedinghoff, from Chicago, Illinois, joined the US Foreign Service after she graduated from University in 2009. She had previously served in Venezuela.

She was an Assistant Information Officer and had volunteered for the Afghanistan posting. At the time of the attack, her group were on their way to deliver a consignment of books to a local school in Qalot, the provincial capital.

Six Americans killed in separate attacks in Afghanistan

Six American citizens lost their lives today (6th April 2013) in a day of violence across Afghanistan.

Five were killed by a suicide car-bomber in Qalat, Zabul province. They were in a convoy of vehicles heading for a local school to give books to students, when the bomber struck. Three American military personnel, a female officer with the State Foreign Service Department and a civilian with the Department of Defense were killed. 10 people were injured by the blast, one State Department employee critically.

In a separate incident, an American civilian was killed in eastern Afghanistan during an insurgent attack.

More information to follow.

US Army Sgt. Jeffrey Sherer

Alaska based Army Sergeant Jeffrey C. S. Sherer, from Four Oaks, North Carolina was killed in Zabul province, Afghanistan on 2nd June 2011. 

Sgt. Sherer, age 29, died from injuries sustained when his unit was hit by a homemade bomb. The incident occurred while troops were on patrol in a light, eight-wheeled vehicle. It happened in the town of Shah Joy, northeast of the regional capital of Kandaha.

Sgt. Sherer served with the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Wainwright.

Lieutenant Marcus Case

Lieutenant Marcus Sean Case, aged 27, was killed on 30th May 2011 when an Australian Chinook helicopter crashed in Zabul province during a re-supply operation.

Lt. Case served with the Sydney based 6th Aviation Regiment an was on his first deployment to Afghanistan. He was a Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operator.

Prior to his deployment in Afghanistan, Lt. Case had served in East Timor in 2007 and assisted in the Queensland floods in January 2011.

In 2003, Lt. Case was posted to 1 Commando Regiment. In 2008, he transferred to the Australian Regular Army and trained as a pilot at the Army Aviation Training Centre.

US Army Staff Sergeant David Self

US Army Staff Sergeant David D. Self, aged 29, from Pearl, Miss., was one of four US servicemen to die on 16th May 2011 from the blast of a bomb in Zabul, Afghanistan.

SSgt. Self served with the Fires Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, based at Vilseck, Germany.

US Army Private Lamarol Tucker

US Army Private Lamarol J. Tucker, aged 26, from Gainesville, Florida was one of four US servicemen to die on 16th May 2011 from the blast of a bomb in Zabul, Afghanistan, whilst on a mounted patrol.

Pvt. Tucker served with the Brigade Troops Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Wainwright, Anchorage, Alaska.

He joined the Army in January 2009 and served at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. before transferring to Fort Wainwright in April 2009.

US Army Private, Cheizray Pressley

US Army Private Cheizray Pressley, aged 21, from North Charleston, South Carolina was one of four US servicemen to die on 16th May 2011 from the blast of a bomb in Zabul, Afghanistan, whilst on a mounted patrol. 

Pvt. Pressley served with the Brigade Troops Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Wainwright, Anchorage, Alaska.

He joined the Army in September 2010 and served at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. before transferring to Alaska in January 2011.

Romanian soldier, Constantin Lixandru

Romanian Army Corporal Constantin Laurentiu Lixandru, aged 30, was killed in Zabul province, Afghanistan, on 5th May 2011. He was part of a mobile patrol when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle.

Cpl. Lixandru served with the Romanian 26th Infantry. He was airlifted to Lagman Military Hospital but died from severe injuries.

The Romanian Minister of Defense, Gabriel Oprea, posthumously promoted him to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and will propose the president of Romania to decorate him with the National Order of the Star of Romania.