Wyoming Marine Among 13 Killed in Afghanistan Bombing
Rylee McCollum, a Wyoming-born Marine, was one of the 13 U.S. service members who was killed in the suicide bombing at an Afghanistan airport in the country's capital of Kabul.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon confirmed the news in a tweet early Friday afternoon.
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Wyoming State Superintendent Jill Balow said that McCollum attended Jackson Hole High School and graduated from the Summit Innovations School in 2019.
"Saying that I am grateful for Rylee's service to our country does not begin to encapsulate the grief and sadness I feel today as a mother and as an American," Balow said in a statement. "My heart and prayers are with Rylee's family, friends, and the entire Jackson community."
Read More: Superintendent Balow Issues Statement on Death of Wyoming Marine |
The terrorist attack happened Thursday, August 26th, when two suicide bombers targeted crowds of Afghans who were trying to leave the country via Kabul's airport.
The Associated Press reports that an Afghan official stated that at least 60 Afghans were killed, and 143 wounded.
U.S. officials stated that 13 U.S. service members were killed, including McCollum.
Reuters reports that McCollum was a newlywed and that he and his wife seemed to be expecting a child.
Balow stated that “We will find many ways to honor Rylee for this ultimate and untimely sacrifice in the coming months and years - but for now, my arms are wrapped around Rylee’s loved ones from afar and I pray they find some comfort.”
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13 U.S. service members died in a Kabul Airport suicide bombing on August 26, 2021
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