Two soldiers who were killed by an ISIS-K suicide bomber outside the Kabul airport in a vicious attack that left scores dead have been identified, reports said Friday.
Max Soviak, a Navy medic in his early 20s, and Kareem Nikoui, a young Marine, have been identified as two of the 13 military personnel who died in Thursday’s blast while stationed at Hamid Karzai International Airport, the Daily Beast reported.
The other 11 service members, who include nine Marines and two Army soldiers, have yet to be identified.
Soviak, of Berlin Heights, Ohio, graduated from Edison High School in 2017 where he was on the honor roll and football team, the Sandusky Register reported.
“Max was a good student who was active in sports and other activities throughout his school career. He was well respected and liked by everyone who knew him,” the school said in a statement, adding that news of his death has brought “great sorrow.”
Nikoui’s father, Steve Nikoui, told the Daily Beast he knew his son was on duty at the Kabul airport, helping to oversee the evacuation of thousands of Americans and Afghan allies, but didn’t realize his son was killed until he saw a clutch of Marines show up at his door.
“I haven’t gone to bed all night,” the heartbroken dad told the outlet.
“I’m still in shock. I haven’t been able to grasp everything that’s going on.”
He said his son “loved what he was doing” and “always wanted to be a Marine.”
“He really loved that [Marine Corps] family. He was devoted — he was going to make a career out of this, and he wanted to go. No hesitation for him to be called to duty,” the dad said.
He said he plans to go to Dover, Delaware, soon to retrieve his son’s remains.
An additional 18 US service members, along with at least 169 Afghans, were injured in the attack. The wounded personnel have since landed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany for medical treatment, Pentagon officials said Friday.
Two US service members killed in Kabul identified as Max Soviak, Kareem Nikoui
Source: Political Updates PH
