The Taliban have claimed responsibility for an attack Friday on a popular Afghan restaurant that left three Americans and 18 others dead.
“The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has confirmed that three U.S. citizens were killed during the attack in Kabul on Jan. 17. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of those killed,” a State Department spokesperson said Saturday, Fox News reported.
Two of the victims have been identified as Alexis “Lexie” Kamerman, an employee of the American University of Afghanistan, and Basra Hassan, a Somali-American UNICEF worker, the report said.
The victims included the head of the International Monetary Fund in Afghanistan and three United Nations staff, Kabul police said.
A suicide bomber and two gunmen who launched the assault were also killed.
“The Taliban target those who have hope in, and work for, this country’s success. With such criminal acts the Taliban only destroy, they cannot build. The United States remains firm in our commitment to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan where Afghans and their partners can live and work together free from the threat of violence,” said U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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