A suicide blast Saturday morning killed four Americans and injured 17 more at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Two of the killed were US troops, and two more were contractors, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a statement. Sixteen of the injured are US troops, and one is Polish. “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 always getting the best possible care,” Carter said in the statement. “… For those who carried out this attack, my message is simple. We will not be deterred in our mission to protect our homeland and help Afghanistan secure its own future.” A Taliban spokesman told Reuters the bomber was able to enter the base and detonate a suicide vest while standing in line with Afghan laborers. The blast happened as troops were preparing for a post-Veterans Day fun run, according to NBC News.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
