US soldier killed in Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. Matthew V. Thompson, 28, of Irvine, California, is killed during an anti-Taliban operation near Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern Afghan province of Helmand. The Army Green Beret was on a foot patrol with other American troops advising Afghan special operations forces where the Taliban have engaged in heavy combat. Thompson is killed by a bomb blast that leaves another American service member and six Afghan soldiers injured.
Six airmen killed
Six airmen are killed in Afghanistan, including four OSI agents and two security forces, when they are targeted by Taliban forces as they moved through a village near Bagram Airfield. One of the women killed was the first openly lesbian woman in the armed forces. Army spokesperson:
Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families and friends of those affected in this tragic incident, especially during this holiday season.