6 Americans killed in Afghanistan suicide attack

AFGHANISTAN -- Six Americans were killed in a suicide bomb attack today on a joint U.S. and Afghan patrol outside Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, according to a U.S. official.

"Six Resolute Support service members died as a result of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack in Bagram, Afghanistan on December 21 at approximately 1:30 p.m," according to a statement from NATO Resolute Support, the NATO training mission in Afghanistan. "Additionally, three Resolute Support members were injured in the attack."

A U.S. official confirmed that the six killed were U.S. service members and that the injured were a mix of U.S. and Afghan service members.

U.S. officials said the bombing targeted a joint U.S. and Afghan patrol outside Bagram Air Base, which is the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan. The official said the patrol was meeting with a local Afghan leader at the time of the attack.

There are about 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan serving in a mission to train, advise and assist Afghan military forces, with about 5,500 of them are stationed at Bagram.

Earlier, Waheed Sediqqi, a spokesman for the governor of Parwan Province, where Bagram is located, told ABC News, "This afternoon, at 1:30 p.m. local time, a convoy of Afghan and international forces were patrolling in Bagram district of Parwan province, while a suicide attacker, riding a motorbike, exploded himself."

Sediqqi indicated that both American and Afghan troops had been killed and injured in the attack.

Resolute Support spokesman Brig. Gen. Wilson A. Shoffner said, "We're deeply saddened by this loss. On behalf of General Campbell and all of Resolute Support, our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families and friends of those affected in this tragic incident, especially during this holiday season."

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.