KABUL, Afghanistan (NEWS CENTER) — A man from Maine was among 12 people killed Saturday, when a suicide car bomber attacked a convoy of NATO armored vehicles traveling through a neighborhood in Afghanistan’s capital.
Former Knox County Sheriff Deputy and Dexter resident Corey Dodge was one of three American civilian contractors killed. In 2006 he was acknowledged for his work as a liaison with Maine Eastern Railroad. Dodge was also named the Knox County Sheriff’s Office Deputy of the Year in 2002.
He is survived by his wife Kelli and their four children.
Dodge’s mother, Letha Dodge, tells NEWS CENTER the family is proud of him and he died doing what he loved to do, serving his country.
U.S. Army Col Brian Tribus, a military spokesman for the NATO Resolute Support mission, said one of the men was killed in the attack, and the other two later died of their wounds.
The three worked for DynCorp International, a private military contractor based in McClean, Virginia. In a statement, the company said it extended “its thoughts and prayers to all involved and to their families and loved ones” and declined to comment further.
In a statement the U.S. embassy condemned Saturday’s bombing, saying that “our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families who suffered as a result of this attack.”
“Instead of seizing an opportunity to embrace peace, insurgents have again chosen violence in an attempt to remain relevant,” said Brig. Gen. Wilson Shoffner, the U.S.-led coalition’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications, in a statement. “Regardless of the target of their attacks, insurgents continue to inflict a heavy toll on innocent Afghan civilians.”
A many as 66 people were wounded in the attack, said Wahidullah Mayar, a Health Ministry spokesman
“A lot of dead bodies and wounded victims were there after the explosion happened in the area,” Mohammad Hussain, who was wounded in the attack, told the AP. “There were a lot of casualties.”
At least one armored vehicle in the convoy was destroyed. The powerful explosion came during evening rush hour and as schools were letting out in the eastern part Kabul. The car bomb caused extensive damage to nearby buildings and cars.
On Aug. 7, a Taliban attack on a NATO military base near Kabul’s international airport killed an American soldier and eight Afghan contractors. A Taliban-claimed suicide car bombing targeting a NATO convoy on June 30 on the main highway to the Kabul airport wounded two U.S. soldiers and at least 24 others while killing two Afghan civilians.
The Associated Press and USA TODAY contributed to this report.
Dexter man killed in Afghan suicide car bombing
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