Seattle soldier killed in Afghanistan rocket attack

A Seattle man was among nine U.S. soldiers who died Sunday during an attack on a remote outpost in eastern Afghanistan.

Cpl. Jason M. Bogar, 25, died after the outpost was attacked by militants with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, according to the Department of Defense. Bogar was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503d Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.

Dean Bogar, the slain soldier's grandfather, described his grandson as a "good kid."

"He was a good boy and he was willing to lay down his life for his country and his fellow soldiers," said Bogar, of Enumclaw. "He gave his life to Christ before he left on this last deployment."

Sunday's attack by some 200 militants was the deadliest for the U.S. military in Afghanistan in three years. Rebels fought their way into the newly established base, wounding another 15 Americans and suffering heavy casualties of their own, before the defenders and warplanes could drive them back.

The assault underlined how Islamic militants appear to be gaining strength nearly eight years after the ouster of the Taliban, and the difficulties facing foreign and Afghan forces trying to defeat them.

NATO said the post, which lies amid precipitous mountains close to the Pakistan border, had been vacated, but insisted that international and Afghan troops will "retain a strong presence in that area with patrolling and other means."

"We are committed, now more than ever, to establishing a secure environment that will allow even greater opportunities for development and a stronger Afghan governmental influence," NATO spokesman Capt. Mike Finney said.

Omar Sami, spokesman for the Nuristan provincial governor, said American and Afghan soldiers quit the base on Tuesday afternoon. He said they took the district mayor with them.

Sami said U.S. troops armed local police with more than 20 guns before they left, but that the officers had fled the village and crossed into neighboring Kunar province when 100 militants moved into Wanat.

Seattle Times staff reporter Jennifer Sullivan contributed to the report.