A 19-year-old soldier from Georgia was among six killed Monday in an attack in Afghanistan.
Pfc. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia died of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire in Nangarhar province, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.
Also killed in Monday's attack were Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind., Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio, Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif., Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wisc., and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 51st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper in Clarksville, Tenn., near Fort Campbell, reported that the soldiers' attacker, who was also killed, was an Afghan Border Police officer who turned his weapon on the U.S. soldiers.
The newspaper said on its website that the Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the gunman joined the border police to kill foreign soldiers.
The Georgia solder was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in September 2009, according to the newspaper. Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, son, Kallen O'Neal of Weatherford, Texas, and his parents, Byram Staggs of Senoia and Kaye Jordan of Weatherford.
Staggs' death came less than three weeks after another 101st Airborne Division soldier from Georgia was killed in Afghanistan.
Specialist Shannon Chihuahua, 25, of Thomasville, died in a small arms fire fight on Nov. 12 in Konar province.
At least 18 soldiers from Fort Campbell were killed last month in Afghanistan.
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