On the third anniversary of the suicide bombing at the Kabul, Afghanistan, airport that killed 13 American troops, including a Norco man, the city’s Fallen 13 Memorial Flower Garden will host a candlelight remembrance this evening.
The ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Norco Country Center, 960 Sixth St., and will include invited families and some service members who were present at Abbey Gate when the bombing occurred, according to organizers.
Abbey Gate is the entrance to Hamid Karzai International Airport, where a large explosive device was detonated by an ISIS-K terrorist. The blast killed 13 Americans, including three from Southern California, and at least 170 Afghans.
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui of Norco was one of 11 Marines killed in the attack. Nikoui, 20, was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton.
The Aug. 26, 2021, bombing also claimed the life of Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, and 20-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola of Rancho Cucamonga.
Along with the Marines, a U.S. Navy corpsman and a U.S. Army soldier were killed.