ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Ghadir Taher, who emigrated to the United States from Syria, has been identified as the fourth American killed in the Manbij suicide attack.
Her younger brother Ali told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday that the 27-year-old died from injuries sustained in the suicide attack on Wednesday in the northern Syrian city.
Taher worked was an Arabic interpreter for Valiant Integrated Services, a defense contractor used by the US government, The New York Times confirmed.
“Her smile lit up the room. She was kind,” her brother told the Atlanta newspaper. “You could go on for hours, talking to her about your worries and about your troubles. And she would make them seem like they were hers.”
ISIS claimed the attack on the restaurant that killed two US soldiers, a civilian employed by the US Department of Defense, and Taher.
“We are extremely saddened by the tragic and senseless passing of Ghadir Taher,” Valiant spokesman Tom Becker wrote in an email to the Georgia-based newspaper. “Out of respect to her family, we will make no further comment at this time other than to say she was a talented and highly-respected colleague, loved by many, who will be dearly missed.”
US President Donald Trump did not acknowledge the attack until Saturday morning when he tweeted that he would be going to Dover Air Force Base "to be with the families of four special people who lost their lives in service to our country."
He has faced criticism from within his own party for announcing the withdrawal. Concerns, even prior to the attack, centered on the safety of US and coalition members, as well as partnered forces.
Brett McGurk, the former US Special Presidential Envoy to the international anti-ISIS coalition, resigned following Trump's announcement. He was appointed by former President Barack Obama.
He tweeted condolences and that the ISIS attack "was the first of its kind" against US forces since they began their operation in Syria in 2015.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan Farmer, 37, from Florida, Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Shannon Kent, 35, from New York, and civilian Scott Wirtz from Missouri were killed in the attack.
A reported five of the local Manbij Military Council (MMC) forces and at least nine civilians were also killed in the explosion
Local media ANHA named nine civilian victims, citing hospital sources.
They are: Yasser Ahmed Khalaf from the village of Qara al-Sakira, Fadia Abboud and her daughter Sahar Melhem from Aleppo, Mohammed al-Ahmed who worked at the restaurant that was hit in the explosion, Hassan Hankouri from Uom Jalud village, Yasser Khali Akazi from the al-Shahba region north of Aleppo, Raad Kurdi from the village of Haj Abdeen, and Hamza Shiyar and Wiso Fares who are both from the Kobane area.
Her younger brother Ali told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday that the 27-year-old died from injuries sustained in the suicide attack on Wednesday in the northern Syrian city.
Taher worked was an Arabic interpreter for Valiant Integrated Services, a defense contractor used by the US government, The New York Times confirmed.
“Her smile lit up the room. She was kind,” her brother told the Atlanta newspaper. “You could go on for hours, talking to her about your worries and about your troubles. And she would make them seem like they were hers.”
ISIS claimed the attack on the restaurant that killed two US soldiers, a civilian employed by the US Department of Defense, and Taher.
“We are extremely saddened by the tragic and senseless passing of Ghadir Taher,” Valiant spokesman Tom Becker wrote in an email to the Georgia-based newspaper. “Out of respect to her family, we will make no further comment at this time other than to say she was a talented and highly-respected colleague, loved by many, who will be dearly missed.”
US President Donald Trump did not acknowledge the attack until Saturday morning when he tweeted that he would be going to Dover Air Force Base "to be with the families of four special people who lost their lives in service to our country."
Will be leaving for Dover to be with the families of 4 very special people who lost their lives in service to our Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2019
He has faced criticism from within his own party for announcing the withdrawal. Concerns, even prior to the attack, centered on the safety of US and coalition members, as well as partnered forces.
Brett McGurk, the former US Special Presidential Envoy to the international anti-ISIS coalition, resigned following Trump's announcement. He was appointed by former President Barack Obama.
He tweeted condolences and that the ISIS attack "was the first of its kind" against US forces since they began their operation in Syria in 2015.
My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of these remarkable Americans who were serving on behalf of all of us in Syria. This terrible ISIS attack was the first of its kind against our forces for a mission that began in 2015. https://t.co/2Xqg7V4JID
— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) January 19, 2019
Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan Farmer, 37, from Florida, Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Shannon Kent, 35, from New York, and civilian Scott Wirtz from Missouri were killed in the attack.
A reported five of the local Manbij Military Council (MMC) forces and at least nine civilians were also killed in the explosion
Local media ANHA named nine civilian victims, citing hospital sources.
They are: Yasser Ahmed Khalaf from the village of Qara al-Sakira, Fadia Abboud and her daughter Sahar Melhem from Aleppo, Mohammed al-Ahmed who worked at the restaurant that was hit in the explosion, Hassan Hankouri from Uom Jalud village, Yasser Khali Akazi from the al-Shahba region north of Aleppo, Raad Kurdi from the village of Haj Abdeen, and Hamza Shiyar and Wiso Fares who are both from the Kobane area.
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