Three U.S. service members were killed in Afghanistan on Monday, according to an official NATO news release.

Another three American troops were wounded in the roadside bomb attack near Bagram Air Field, which is the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan.

Monday’s tragedy brings the number of U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan so far this year to seven. That’s half the total of all American warriors to make the ultimate sacrifice in 2018 during America’s longest war.

The Stream will have an update on this attack in “This Week at War,” which is published every week for this exact reason. As families of the fallen are notified, it is also crucial to abide by the below guidance from a combat veteran-turned-military reporter.

https://twitter.com/JimLaPorta/status/1109151803671826434

Please pray for the loved ones, friends and fellow service members and contractors of these American heroes, as well as those wounded in Monday’s attack. We will never forget them.

Update: Citing NATO, this article originally said an American contractor was killed in the attack. NBC News reports that the contractor was subsequently found alive.

UPDATE: Contractor reported killed in Afghanistan yesterday was found alive today, a US military official says; the man was grouped with civilians wounded on the scene – @ckubeNBC

— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 9, 2019

Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is co-author of three books about military heroes: 8 Seconds of Courage, Brothers Forever and Fire in My Eyes. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo.