An American soldier was killed in combat in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Sgt. 1st Class Dustin B. Ard, 31, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, died Aug. 29, 2019 after sustaining wounds in the Zabul Province, Afghanistan.
The New York Times reported Ard died after disembarking a helicopter at the start of a joint mission with Afghan commandos, though the exact circumstances of his death remain unclear.
Ard’s father, former mayor of Ammon, Idaho Bruce Ard, confirmed the death of his son on the Facebook page of Idaho state Sen. Rob Furniss, saying, “My heart has a hole so big I can hardly stand it.