Contractor reported killed in Afghan blast found alive

An Afghan contractor initially reported killed in an improvised explosive device blast Monday has been found alive, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

U.S. Forces Afghanistan had announced Monday that three U.S. troops and one contractor were killed in the explosion near Bagram Air Base.

{mosads}But on Tuesday, the U.S. military said that, in the chaos after the blast, the contractor was actually treated for injuries alongside wounded civilians. The contractor was later identified and treated at Bagram.

Also Tuesday, Navy Secretary Richard Spencer confirmed at a Senate hearing that the three U.S. troops killed in the attack were Marines.

The names of those killed have not yet been released, in accordance with Pentagon policy to wait until 24 hours after next of kin are notified.

“We feel and mourn the loss of these Americans with their families and loved ones,” said Gen. Scott Miller, commander the Resolute Support mission and U.S. Forces Afghanistan. “They volunteered to protect their country. We will continue our mission.”

Monday’s attack comes as the United States continues to try to negotiate peace with the Taliban and underscores the difficulty for the prospect of success in that effort.

On top of Monday’s attack, the Taliban, which took credit for the explosion, have killed dozens in near daily attacks on Afghan forces.

There are about 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan with a dual mission of training, advising and assisting Afghan troops in their fight against the Taliban and conducting counterterrorism missions against groups such as ISIS.