4 Americans dead in suicide attack at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan

A suicide attack claimed by the Taliban killed four people and injured 17 more Saturday at Bagram Airfield, a large U.S. base central to NATO operations in Afghanistan. The identities of the dead have not been released, nor has the identity of the bomber.

"An explosive device was detonated on Bagram Airfield resulting in multiple casualties. Four people have died in the attack and approximately 14 have been wounded," said a NATO statement. "Response teams at Bagram continue to treat the wounded and investigate the incident." However, an Afghan police official told Al Jazeera "the person who got in with the explosives must be a dual citizen and someone who has an access pass and is trusted to go without escort."

Bagram is best known as the site of a now-closed detention facility notorious for American guards' use of sometimes deadly torture on prisoners.

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Update 10:55 a.m.: Defense Secretary Ash Carter said those killed were all Americans, two service members and two contractors, and that the injured included 16 Americans and one Polish soldier. It is still unknown how the bomber got into the base.