Southern Illinois man killed in Afghanistan attack

Perry County is mourning the loss of one of its own after a Tamaroa man was identified as one of the four Americans killed in a suicide bomb attack Saturday in Afghanistan.

The attack occurred at Bagram Airfield near the country’s capital, Kabul.

WSIL identified the man as Tyler Iubelt, a recent Pinckneyville Community High School graduate.

A post from Tamaroa Grade School indicated Iubelt was a student there until graduating in 2011. The school said he served in the U.S. Army.

The Tamaroa Fire District also honored Iubelt in a Facebook post Saturday evening.

The U.S. Department of Defense has yet to formally identify the casualties in the attack, but Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Saturday wrote in a statement that he was “deeply saddened.”

Bagram is widely considered the safest and most secure area in Afghanistan. According to Reuters, the attacker was dressed as a laborer when he blew himself up. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.

“Force protection is always a top priority for us in Afghanistan, and we will investigate this tragedy to determine any steps we can take to improve it,” Carter wrote.

This story was originally published November 13, 2016 at 10:35 AM with the headline "Southern Illinois man killed in Afghanistan attack."