United States Marine Kareem Nikoui has been identified as one of the 13 U.S. service members who was killed in Thursday’s Islamic terrorist attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan.
As Breitbart News reported, the Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in Kabul that killed 10 U.S. Marines, one U.S. Navy medic, and another two service members along with at least 90 others and has left at least 150 others wounded.
Nikoui, a young U.S. Marine, was identified as one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the attacks. Nikoui had recently been deployed to Kabul and stationed at the Hamid Karzai International Airport, his father Steve Nikoui told the Daily Beast.
Before his deployment, Nikoui was stationed at the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in San Diego County, California, near his home.
Nikoui’s mother, Shana Chappell, wrote her goodbyes to her son in an online post.
“I know I am still in shock right now. I felt my soul leave my body as I was screaming that it can’t be true!” Chappell continued:
No mother, no parent should ever have to hear that their child is gone, that their child was one of the Marines killed today!!! I had to hear it, I had to hear it! This is my baby! This is my Hero!!!! I will never get to hug him again and my heart is ripped out of my chest! No parent should have to have someone come to their home to tell them their child is never coming home again!!!! Why would God do this to me??? Why would he take my son???? This can’t be real!! My heart hurts so bad. This is my baby Kareem. He was so amazing in every way. My heart will never be the same. My heart goes out to all the Marine parents who lost their sons along side my son yesterday. Prayers for their families and for mine. #marines Kareem i love you more than anything, my heart hurts so bad. I begged for the news not to be true, i begged them to tell me they were lying! I’m never gonna get to hug my son again, or see his smile or hear his laugh! He was only 20 years old!!! He’s never gonna get to get married or have a family!!! Oh my God how could this have happened? Why?? He is my heart, my Hero. [Emphasis added]
In a post from late July, soon after Nikoui was deployed to Afghanistan, Chappell posted photos of her son, whom she called her “handsome baby,” and wrote how proud she was of him to be serving his country.
Nikoui’s sister, Shyler Chappell, also wrote a farewell message to her little brother.
“We lost Kareem In Afghanistan. When I heard the news of the bombs I knew in my heart you were gone, everyone said to be positive,” Shyler wrote. “But I knew. I love you forever Kareem Mae’lee Grant Nikoui. I’m so proud of you. I wish I could’ve protected you.”
According to Nikoui’s social media, he had only started Infantry Training Battalion (ITB) in January 2020 after having graduated from Norco High School in Norco, California where he was a member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).
Steve Nikoui said he will travel to Dover, Delaware, to pick up his son’s remains.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
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