Soldier killed in Afghanistan was assigned to Fort Bragg special forces command

A soldier killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan served in Fort Bragg's 1st Special Forces Command, according to a statement on the command’s Twitter shortly after 6 p.m. Friday.

Eleven Marines, one Navy hospital corpsman and the U.S. soldier were killed in the explosion near Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport, according to the Pentagon. The bombing took place as the U.S. military was helping thousands escape the country, which is now under Taliban rule.

National coverage:  What to know about U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

The name of the 1st Special Forces Command soldier was not immediately released.

“We are saddened to report the death of one of our soldiers as a result of the attacks at HKIA yesterday. The family has been notified. They are continually in our thoughts and have our full care, support, and assistance during this difficult time,” the command tweeted.

“Our teammate died not only serving our nation, but helping to give others a life of freedom and opportunity. The sacrifices made by our soldiers and families over the past 20 years were not in vain, and our mission in Afghanistan is not yet over.”

Military & Crime Editor F.T. Norton can be reached at fnorton@fayobserver.com.

Support local journalism with a subscription to The Fayetteville Observer. Click the "subscribe" link at the top of this article.

This is a developing story and will be updated.